President Volodymyr Zelenskiy emphasized on Thursday that Ukraine would not accept any agreement regarding its future made by Moscow and Washington without Kyiv's participation. He also advocated for Europe to be part of the negotiation process to resolve the ongoing war.
During a visit to a nuclear plant en route to the Munich Security Conference, Zelenskiy stated that Ukraine, as an independent nation, "simply will not be able to accept any agreements without us," stressing the importance of Ukraine's involvement in the discussions.
In response to recent conversations between U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and remarks by the U.S. Secretary of Defense regarding NATO membership for Ukraine, Zelenskiy expressed concerns that bilateral negotiations between the U.S. and Russia could proceed without Europe's inclusion.
Zelenskiy urged for a coordinated approach between the United States and Ukraine to establish a plan to end the conflict before engaging with the Russian side. While aiming to meet with Trump before a potential meeting between Trump and Putin in Saudi Arabia, Zelenskiy confirmed that there were ongoing efforts to arrange a meeting with the U.S. president.
The issue of NATO membership was not discussed during Zelenskiy's call with Trump, despite U.S. opposition to the idea. Regarding Trump's call to Putin before him, Zelenskiy downplayed its significance, characterizing it as "unpleasant" but not indicative of Washington's true priorities.
As the third anniversary of Russia's invasion approaches, Ukraine continues to grapple with territorial challenges, including Moscow's control of a portion of Ukrainian territory and the ongoing military conflict in eastern Ukraine.