Zelensky tells Russia to drop ‘pointless’ calls for forward of peace talks

Volodymyr Zelensky has stated Ukrainian and US officers will meet for peace talks in Saudi Arabia subsequent Monday, after the Kremlin confirmed US-Russia talks there the identical day.

Ukraine’s chief stated Russian President Vladimir Putin “should cease making pointless calls for that solely lengthen the battle”. Moscow’s calls for embrace an entire finish to army help for Ukraine.

Zelensky additionally warned that taking Nato membership for Ukraine off the desk – one thing Putin has stated was non-negotiable for peace – could be a “massive reward to Russia”.

He additionally rebuffed claims by the White Home that he mentioned ceding possession of Ukraine’s nuclear energy vegetation to the US throughout a name with President Donald Trump.

The most recent talks come because the US makes an attempt to dealer a ceasefire between the 2 nations after greater than three years of preventing.

Each Zelensky and Putin have agreed to a ceasefire in precept throughout conversations with the US – however one has but to materialise as a result of conflicting circumstances.

The Russian chief most just lately agreed to a halt to air strikes on power infrastructure – however such strikes from each side have continued.

Zelensky stated a Ukrainian delegation would hand the US a listing of infrastructure services it desires to be protected against Russian strikes at Monday’s talks.

Requested concerning the White Home touting the attainable US possession of Ukraine’s nuclear energy vegetation at a joint information convention with Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in Oslo, Zelensky dominated this out completely.

He stated that the 2 had mentioned the Zaporizhia energy plant – which is at present underneath Russian management – in his telephone name with Trump, however burdened that “all nuclear energy vegetation belong to the folks of Ukraine”.

Nevertheless, he stated he was open to the US taking the plant from Russia to spend money on or modernise.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had earlier stated that US possession “could be the most effective safety for that infrastructure”.

Requested if he was able to make territorial concessions to Russia, notably Crimea, which has been in Russian fingers since 2014, Zelensky stated: “That could be a Ukrainian peninsula,” including that Crimea was an “integral half” of his nation.

Crimea is internationally recognised as a part of Ukraine, regardless of Russia’s occupation and claimed annexation.

When requested what a ceasefire may appear like, Zelensky stated the primary stage must be a ceasefire by land and sea, as Ukraine sees this as the one solution to cease Russian aggression.

Trump was capable of extract an settlement for a ceasefire on power infrastructure – which Russia has repeatedly focused – from Putin in a name on Tuesday, however nothing extra.

Russia’s deputy overseas minister, Alexander Grushko, stated earlier this week that Moscow will search ensures that Nato would exclude Ukraine from membership and that Ukraine would stay impartial in any peace deal.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has downplayed the prospect of Ukraine becoming a member of the army alliance, saying it was “not a sensible consequence of a negotiated settlement”.

Within the meantime, the battle – which started with Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 – continues. Strikes in a single day killed two folks in Ukraine, whereas Ukrainian drone assaults injured 10 and set an airfield on fireplace in Russia.

Talking to EU leaders through video hyperlink at a gathering in Brussels, Zelensky reiterated requires army support to proceed, asking European leaders for at the least €5bn (£4.18bn) for artillery shells “as quickly as attainable”, and stated that continued help for Ukraine was “essential”.

He additionally stated the EU should be concerned in peace talks, and urged Europe to not “ease stress on Russia over the battle”.

After Trump and Zelensky engaged in a public shouting match within the Oval Workplace over the battle, the White Home introduced a pause to army support for Ukraine.

The pause from Ukraine’s important army backer was lifted a number of days later after talks between the US and Ukraine, which additionally noticed the backing of the proposed 30-day ceasefire.

In the meantime, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated that any peace deal would “solely be lasting” if there have been “safety preparations in place”, after proposing a “coalition of the keen” to implement peace in Ukraine following a deal.

His feedback got here throughout a go to to a army base in London, after holding a closed-door assembly with senior army officers of greater than 20 international locations concerned in plans for the coalition.

Sir Keir stated the UK and its allies have been shifting from “political momentum” to “army planning”, which he stated had “to be achieved now” earlier than a deal was agreed.

He stated: “It’s vitally essential we do this work as a result of we all know one factor for sure, which is a deal with out something behind it’s one thing that Putin will breach.

“We all know that as a result of it occurred earlier than. I am completely clear in my thoughts it would occur once more.”