In Washington, expectations were voiced about upcoming talks on Russia – Ukraine war in Alaska and beyond.
The US promises to take Ukraine’s position into account in negotiations with Russia. However, they emphasize that any potential agreement will leave all sides dissatisfied.
Vice President J.D. Vance told Fox News that the US will consider Ukraine’s opinion, but he doubts it would be possible to arrange a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin before a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Putin. At the same time, he added that Putin categorically refuses to meet with Zelenskyy, and Trump will have to change that.
“We will talk to the Ukrainians. We will keep this dialogue open, but fundamentally this is the kind of situation where Trump needs to get Putin and Zelenskyy to sit down and work out their differences. Of course, we condemn the invasion, we don’t like the events we have found ourselves in, but we must make peace. And the only way to make peace is to sit down and talk,” said J.D. Vance.
He also reminded that the US had stopped “funding the war,” referring to the agreement to purchase American weapons for Ukraine at the expense of European allies.
Vance also called for a halt to hostilities along the front line, although he admitted that neither side would feel “happy” about it.
At the same time, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said on CNN that Washington takes into account Zelenskyy’s position that large swathes of territory cannot simply be handed over to the Russians. However, he noted that “the war has to end somehow.”
“We have to end this war. We can save thousands of lives with this agreement… President Donald Trump can make this a reality. The whole reason for this meeting (with Putin) is that he is a peacemaker, he wants to make peace,” said Matthew Whitaker.
At the same time, he did not rule out that Zelenskyy could be present at the summit in Alaska. The diplomat noted that there can be no agreement if one of the parties involved does not take part in it.
As previously reported, Russia has proposed a limited ceasefire in Ukraine amid preparations for a meeting between Trump and Putin. In the West, they do not rule out the possibility of a “more radical breakthrough.”
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Tags: alaska russia - ukraine war