"Ukraine's Peace Agreement Not to Be Unilaterally Settled by Trump, according to Zelenskyy and European Leaders"
In a significant development, a virtual summit was held on Wednesday, attended by the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Finland, NATO, the European Union, and US Vice President JD Vance. The meeting, convened by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, also included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump.
The focus of the negotiations was a proposed peace framework for Ukraine and Russia, which includes a strikes moratorium preceding a ceasefire and peace agreement. Belarusian President Lukashenko conveyed to Trump that both sides must first agree to a ceasefire before formalizing a peace deal.
Key details of this proposal are:
- Strikes moratorium: This would halt long-range missile strikes by both sides, potentially preventing Ukraine from targeting Russian defense and energy infrastructure and Russia from striking Ukrainian civilian targets.
- Ceasefire as a precondition: Ukraine and Russia must mutually agree on ceasing hostilities before moving forward to a comprehensive peace agreement.
- Security guarantees: While not fully detailed, the talks imply that security guarantees would be tied to adherence to the ceasefire and moratorium, aiming to protect civilian infrastructure.
However, there is significant skepticism regarding the durability of such agreements based on past experience. Russia has previously been assessed to likely violate ceasefires and use violations as a pretext to blame Ukraine.
Zelensky and Trump addressed reporters in Berlin, Germany, after the virtual summit, with Zelensky stating that leaders agreed on "five common principles" for negotiations in Alaska. Trump, according to sources, stated that he believes a ceasefire would be a show of goodwill from Russia.
Zelensky also emphasized the need for a trilateral format for talks, involving Ukraine, and confirmed that President Trump spoke of his support for the negotiations and America's readiness to participate. However, the meeting did not provide any new information about the location or date of Trump's meeting with Putin in Alaska.
European leaders, including Chancellor Merz, urged US President Donald Trump not to strike a unilateral Ukraine peace deal with President Vladimir Putin during their upcoming meeting in Alaska. Zelensky also noted that Russia should not have a veto over Ukraine's European and NATO prospects.
In a related development, Zelensky stated that peace talks must be combined with pressure on Russia, and if no ceasefire agreement is reached on Friday, sanctions against Russia should be strengthened. Trump also noted that the Ukrainian territory is not for him to negotiate.
Two European diplomats familiar with the virtual meeting confirmed that Trump appeared to say that he would push for an unconditional ceasefire in his meeting with Putin. The meeting did not mention any specific conditions or concessions for a ceasefire or security guarantees.
The proposed peace framework discusses first establishing a mutual halt in offensive strikes, particularly long-range ones, as a foundation for broader peace talks and security guarantees. The specifics of such guarantees and enforcement mechanisms remain unclear at this stage.
Read also:
- Discussion between Putin and Trump in Alaska could potentially overshadow Ukraine's concerns
- Massive 8.8 earthquake hits off the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, prompting Japan to issue a tsunami alert.
- Court petitions to reverse established decision on same-sex marriage legalization
- Independence supporters in New Caledonia refuse agreement offering authority without a vote on sovereignty
