Ukraine demands Europe's involvement in peace talks – Zelenskyy's statement

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Kyiv will not accept any bilateral negotiations regarding Ukraine without its involvement. He emphasized the importance of European countries' participation in such talks during his conversation with Donald Trump, as reported by NewsBox.

Ukraine will not recognize any discussions about the country's future if they occur without its participation, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared during his visit to the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant. He highlighted that in discussions about a ceasefire, it is crucial to include not only the United States, Russia, and Ukraine, but also European nations.

Commenting on his phone call with former U.S. President Donald Trump, Zelenskyy described the conversation as "really good." He mentioned that Trump expressed the opinion that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants peace and an end to the war. However, the Ukrainian leader was skeptical about these statements.

"You talk to Putin as the leader of Russia, while I speak with you and think of him as an adversary. And it seems to me that I am more grounded in reality, which is why I don't trust," Zelenskyy declared, as quoted by "Suspilne."

He also noted that he does not consider the conversation with Trump a signal that Russia is a priority for him but acknowledged that such statements are perceived ambiguously in Ukrainian society.

The date for a potential meeting with Trump has not been set yet; however, Zelenskyy expressed hope that talks with him would happen sooner than with Putin.