After Trump's criticism, Zelenskiy announces the main obstacle to an agreement on the peace plan in Ukraine proposed by the US
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Photo source: POU / Zuma Press / Profimedia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said negotiators remain divided over territorial concessions in the currently discussed peace plan, Bloomberg News writes, citing a telephone interview with the Ukrainian president.
The US peace plan requires further discussions on “sensitive issues”, including security guarantees for Ukraine and control of its eastern territories, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“There are views of the US, Russia and Ukraine — and we don't have a unified view of Donbas,” Zelenskiy told Bloomberg News on Monday morning, according to Reuters.
He added that Kiev is seeking a separate pact on security guarantees from Western allies, especially the US.
Zelenskiy is scheduled to meet British, French and German leaders in London on Monday to drum up support as Washington steps up pressure on Kiev to accept the proposed peace deal with Russia.
US officials have said they are close to finalizing the deal, although neither Ukraine nor Russia have indicated a willingness to sign the agreement drafted by Trump's team.
Trump criticizes Zelensky
Donald Trump said Sunday night that Volodymyr Zelenskiy is “not ready” to sign the peace plan drawn up by the US to end the war in Ukraine.
The US president's statement came at the end of three days of negotiations between Washington and Kiev in Florida.
“I'm a little disappointed that President Zelenskiy hasn't read the proposal that was presented a few hours ago. His people love it, but he doesn't,” Trump said during a call with reporters.
“He's not ready.” Trump criticizes Zelensky, after three days of intense negotiations on the peace plan for Ukraine
Moreover, the White House leader expressed confidence that Moscow would also accept the negotiated peace agreement.
“I think Russia agrees with (the plan), but I'm not sure Zelensky agrees with it. His people love him. But he's not ready,” Trump said.
Three days of talks between US and Ukrainian officials ended on Saturday with no apparent progress, with Zelenskiy calling the talks “constructive, though not easy”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has not publicly expressed his agreement with the White House's plan and said last week that certain aspects of Trump's proposal were impossible to implement.
A peace agreement in Ukraine is “very close”, announces Trump's emissary / Moscow says, however, that it wants “radical changes” to the US plan
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Putin in the Kremlin last week but failed to make any apparent progress.
Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov was quoted by Russian media on Sunday as saying that the United States would have to “make serious, I would say radical, changes in its documents” regarding Ukraine.
He did not specify what changes Moscow wants Washington to make.
“American representatives know the basic positions of Ukraine”
The US plan has gone through several versions since it first appeared in November, drawing criticism for being too lenient with Russia.
Despite continued efforts by Trump and his team to broker a deal, progress in peace talks has been slow, with disputes over security guarantees for Kiev and the status of territory occupied by Russia remaining unresolved.
“American representatives know the basic positions of Ukraine,” Zelenskiy said in his video speech on Sunday night.
Zelenskiy said on Saturday that he had a “substantial telephone conversation” with US officials involved in the talks with the Ukrainian delegation in Florida. He said he was briefed by phone by U.S. and Ukrainian officials who attended the talks.
“Ukraine is determined to continue cooperating in good faith with the American side to achieve real peace,” Zelensky wrote on social media.
