Ukraine ready on U.S. and Russia to agree on subsequent spherical of peace talks, Zelenskyy says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in feedback launched Sunday that he was prepared for the following spherical of trilateral peace talks to finish Russia’s greater than 4-year-old invasion of Ukraine, however that it was as much as Washington and Moscow to agree on the place and when to fulfill.

Zelenskyy stated the U.S. had proposed internet hosting the following assembly between American, Ukrainian and Russian negotiating groups, which embody U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, however Moscow had refused to ship a delegation.

“We’re ready for a response from the People. Both they’ll change the nation the place we meet, or the Russians should verify the U.S,” Zelenskyy stated in a media briefing Saturday. “We aren’t blocking any of those initiatives. We wish a trilateral assembly to happen.”

The U.S. has postponed its sponsored talks between the 2 sides as a result of warfare within the Center East. The Iran warfare, which erupted on Feb. 28 following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and unfold throughout the area, has drawn the worldwide highlight away from Ukraine’s plight because it strives to carry again Russia’s greater military.

Talking to journalists, Zelenskyy additionally warned of a “very excessive” threat that the Iran warfare might drain the air protection stockpiles Ukraine is dependent upon to counter Russian missile strikes.

Zelenskyy stated he lacked a transparent image of obtainable stockpiles and had mentioned with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Friday whether or not SAMP/T techniques might function a substitute for U.S.-made Patriot batteries for intercepting ballistic missiles. He stated Ukraine can be “first in line” to check any viable different.

He additionally appeared to push again in opposition to U.S. President Trump’s latest assertion that Washington doesn’t want Ukrainian drone expertise.

“No, we do not want their assistance on drone protection,” Mr. Trump stated in a Fox Information Radio interview that aired Friday.

Zelenskyy stated Washington had reached out to Ukraine “a number of occasions” to request help for a specific nation or for help for People, with out giving specifics. He stated the requests had come from numerous U.S. army establishments to Ukraine’s Ministry of Protection and different army leaders.

“All our establishments obtained these requests, and we responded to them,” Zelenskyy stated.

He stated he had provided Washington a protection cooperation deal final yr value $35 billion–$50 billion that might have given the U.S. administration entry to expertise from roughly 200 Ukrainian drone, AI and digital warfare corporations, with half of all manufacturing earmarked for companions, primarily the U.S.

Based on the Ukrainian chief, American army officers had expressed robust curiosity within the proposal, and Mr. Trump himself had indicated he was receptive.

“We obtained a message from them, and straight from the president as properly, that they’re ,” Zelenskyy advised reporters. “We didn’t signal the doc with President Trump. I should not have a solution as to why. Maybe it would occur later, however I’m not certain.”