Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed the deliberate summit between U.S. President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, warning that any peace deal excluding Kyiv would result in “lifeless options.”
In a press release posted to Telegram, Zelenskyy mentioned Ukraine’s territorial integrity, enshrined in its structure, should be non-negotiable and emphasised that lasting peace should embrace Ukraine’s voice on the desk.
Zelenskyy mentioned Ukraine “won’t give Russia any awards for what it has performed” and that “Ukrainians won’t give their land to the occupier.”
Referring to Ukrainian anxieties {that a} direct assembly between Mr. Trump and Putin may marginalize Kyiv and European pursuits, Zelenskyy mentioned: “Any selections which might be with out Ukraine are on the identical time selections in opposition to peace. They won’t carry something. These are lifeless selections. They may by no means work.”
Mr. Trump and Putin are planning to satisfy in Alaska on Friday, August 15 – a summit that’s seen as a possible breakthrough.
A senior White Home official informed CBS Information that planning for the summit is fluid and it’s nonetheless doable that Zelenskyy may find yourself being concerned in a roundabout way.
The White Home mentioned earlier this week that Mr. Trump is open to assembly along with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts, however Mr. Trump instructed Friday he might begin by assembly simply Putin. He informed reporters he plans to “begin off with Russia.” Mr. Trump additionally mentioned he believes “now we have a shot at” organizing a trilateral assembly with the Ukrainian and Russian leaders.
In his feedback to reporters, Mr. Trump additionally instructed that any settlement would possible contain “some swapping of territories,” however he gave no particulars.
His announcement that he deliberate to host certainly one of America’s adversaries on U.S. soil broke with expectations that they’d meet in a 3rd nation. The gesture offers Putin validation after the U.S. and its allies had lengthy sought to make him a pariah over his conflict in opposition to Ukraine.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance is assembly with European nationwide safety advisers on Saturday in the UK to debate the Russia-Ukraine conflict, sources informed CBS Information. The assembly will happen on the Chevening Home in Kent, the place Vance is vacationing along with his household.
The assembly, mentioned to be on the request of the U.S., will embrace discussions on the following steps in Mr. Trump’s push for peace in Ukraine.
Ukrainian officers had beforehand informed the Related Press privately that Kyiv can be amenable to a peace deal that might de facto acknowledge Ukraine’s lack of ability to regain misplaced territories militarily.
The summit can be the primary face-to-face assembly between Putin and an American chief since former President Joe Biden met along with his Russian counterpart in Switzerland in June 2021, eight months earlier than Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“It appears fully logical for our delegation to fly throughout the Bering Strait merely, and for such an necessary and anticipated summit of the leaders of the 2 nations to be held in Alaska,” Putin’s overseas affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, mentioned Saturday in a press release posted to the Kremlin’s information channel.
Such a summit might show pivotal in a conflict that started greater than three years in the past when Russia invaded its western neighbor and has led to tens of hundreds of deaths, though there isn’t any assure it’ll cease the combating since Moscow and Kyiv stay far aside on their situations for peace.
Two individuals died and 16 had been wounded Saturday when a Russian drone hit a minibus within the suburbs of the Ukrainian metropolis of Kherson, regional Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin mentioned. Two others died after a Russian drone struck their automotive within the Zaporizhzhia area, in line with regional Gov. Ivan Fedorov.
Ukraine’s air pressure mentioned Saturday it intercepted 16 of the 47 Russian drones launched in a single day, whereas 31 drones hit targets throughout 15 totally different areas. It additionally mentioned it shot down one of many two missiles Russia deployed.
In the meantime, Russia’s Protection Ministry mentioned its air defenses shot down 97 Ukrainian drones over Russia and the Black Sea in a single day into Saturday, and 21 extra on Saturday morning.
