While the United States and Russia prepare a meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky asks that Europe also participates in the negotiations to get to a peace agreement in Ukraine. The Ukrainian president has heard several European leaders on the phone, including French president Emmanuel Macron and Italian premier Giorgia Meloni, with whom he spoke of the conflict, expressing his will that the European Union has a place at the negotiation table.
The message to the EU
“This war is underway on the European continent, Ukraine is moving towards adhesion to the EU, the European Union will participate in the reconstruction of our country after the war,” wrote Zelensky on X.
“That’s why the voice of Europe must absolutely be taken into consideration,” he added, claiming that Meloni “firmly supports the position that European leaders must be involved in diplomatic efforts alongside the United States to establish peace”, and thanking it for his “principle position and your unwavering support” in Kiev.
For its part Macron has reaffirmed the full support of France in Kiev. “I reiterated to the Ukrainian president the full support of France to the establishment of a ceased the fire and the start of interviews for a solid and lasting solution that provides the legitimate rights of Ukraine and guarantees its safety and that of the Europeans”, wrote on X.
Contacts between Washington and Moscow
But the fate of the country, tormented for over three years of war, could be decided between Washington and Moscow, more than in Kiev or Brussels. Trump confirmed that he is willing to meet Putin even if the Russian president refuses to see Zelensky, who continues to ask to participate in the peace interviews on Ukraine.
The Kremlin spoke of an “agreement of principle” for a meeting between the two leaders “in the next few days”, but without Zelensky. Putin reiterated that “the conditions” for a meeting with him “are not yet gathered” and that such an interview would only make sense in the final phase of the negotiations. Zelensky replied that “it is legitimate that Ukraine participate in negotiations” in a tripartite format.
The last face to face between Trump and Putin Leader dates back to 2019, during the G20 in Japan. After the republican return to the White House, the contacts have taken place, but in recent weeks the US President has shown growing frustration towards Moscow, coming to threaten penalties.
Putin, who yesterday received the president of the United Arab Emirates Mohammed Bin Zayed yesterday at the Kremlin, indicated Abu Dhabi as one of the possible locations for the meeting. An official of the White House specified that the place was not decided, but that the summit could already be held next week.
Pressure and penalties
The new diplomatic acceleration came after a meeting at the Kremlin between Putin and the special correspondent for Trump, Steve Witkoff, followed by a phone call from the US President in Zelensky, which also participated several European leaders.
Trump has given Russia time to date (Friday 8 August) to stop hostilities, threatening new measures against the countries that trade with Moscow, such as India and China. He has already announced that he wanted to double, from 25 to 50 percent, the duties on imports from India because of his purchases of Russian oil. On the same day Putin received the Indian National Security Councilor Ajit Doval.
