Europe expresses concerns over the prospect of Ukraine's omission in negotiations between Trump and Putin
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been actively engaging with world leaders and the International Monetary Fund managing director over the weekend, as concerns about his potential exclusion from peace talks between Presidents Trump and Putin grow.
Europe, including Germany, has expressed strong reservations about being sidelined from these discussions. Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz has asserted that territorial questions should not be decided between Russia and America without the involvement of Europeans and Ukrainians.
This sentiment is shared by European leaders who issued a joint statement, emphasising that the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine itself. The statement further stresses that any decisions on Ukraine's territorial issues must involve Kyiv directly.
Ukraine may not have a representative at the meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin, with no final decision regarding Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's invitation as of Monday. However, there seems to be a growing consensus that Ukraine's sovereignty and decision-making must be respected in any peace process.
Zelenskyy has been firm in his stance, stating that Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupier. His consultations with European leaders and President Trump have resulted in a shared understanding that no territorial concession can be made without Kyiv's approval, and that their security concerns must be addressed.
Meanwhile, Russia has outright dismissed the idea of Ukraine being involved in the peace talks between Presidents Trump and Putin. The country has been occupying and bombing parts of Ukraine for more than three years, demanding that Ukraine cede control of the eastern regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.
In a separate development, Trump has extended the tariff deadline with China by another 90 days, while also outlining potential terms of a deal, including a swap of territories. However, these proposals have been swiftly rejected by Zelenskyy.
As Presidents Trump and Putin prepare for their first face-to-face discussion of Trump's second term in Alaska on Friday, the international community watches closely, with hope that a peaceful resolution can be found for the conflict in Ukraine.
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