Trump: We are in talks with Ukraine and Russia
US President Donald Trump has stated that his administration is engaged in talks with Ukraine, Russia and other parties.
Source: Trump’s comments to journalists late on 2 February, as reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
Quote: "We're dealing with Ukraine and Russia. We have meetings and talks scheduled with various parties, including Ukraine and Russia. And I think those discussions are actually going pretty well."
Details: A few hours earlier, Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, warned that both sides will need to make concessions if they hope to reach a settlement of the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "has already indicated he will soften his position on land," Kellogg said. "And [Russian leader Vladimir] Putin is going to have to soften his positions as well".
"We’re going to have discussions with everybody over time and probably in the near term," Kellogg added. "And it’s good for both sides."
Background:
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that it would be "very dangerous" to exclude Kyiv from the talks between the US and Russia on the war in Ukraine. He stated that the US, Ukraine, Russia and representatives from the EU should all be at the negotiating table.
- Earlier, Zelenskyy said that any security guarantees for Ukraine must include the participation of the US to be effective.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that reaching an agreement to end hostilities in Ukraine would require concessions from both Moscow and Kyiv and suggested that Ukraine would have to give up its goal of regaining all the territory seized by Russia over the past decade.
- Zelenskyy also stated that Ukraine would not agree to any compromise involving the recognition of occupied territories as part of Russia, even under pressure from all allies.
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