US must pressure Russia with sanctions if Zelenskyy-Putin meeting does not happen, Ukrainian diplomat says

Ukraine’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Serhii Kyslytsia believes the United States should increase pressure on Russia if it does not soon agree to a summit with Ukraine.

Source: Kyslytsia in an interview with NBC News, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Kyslytsia said that Russia is continuing to manipulate the United States and US President Donald Trump personally, trying to stall the peace process.

Quote: "But I think that, slowly and gradually, the US administration understands better that it has been manipulated by Moscow. I see no signs that there is readiness on Putin’s side to have meaningful conversations and that he is ready for a bilateral or trilateral meeting."

Details: Kyslytsia believes that if Moscow refuses a Zelenskyy-Putin meeting, the introduction of additional US sanctions should be "almost instantaneous" once the deadline, which Trump has in mind, passes.

Quote: "And then the Russians should really feel the pain of not being willing to follow the peace path that President Trump offered to the Russian Federation."

Background:

• On 22 August, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy only after a summit "agenda" is prepared and no such plans currently exist.
• Trump expects that he will be able to assess the possibility of achieving peace in Ukraine "within two weeks"

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