Ukraine would like U.S. President Donald Trump to be present at a potential meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told reporters on May 23, according to Ukrinform.
"We are also working on... a meeting between President Zelensky and Putin. We admit that this meeting may be in an expanded format. We would very much like President Trump to join it," Sybiha said.
The foreign minister noted the continuation of peace talks must be unconditional, adding that "we are waiting for the Russian side to present their vision, their concept, their proposals on the parameters of a future unconditional ceasefire." Kyiv is also working on a peace proposal of its own to share with Moscow, Sybiha added.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia would only submit the draft "settlement document" after the ongoing prisoner exchange is completed.
On May 23, Ukraine and Russia began a previously agreed prisoner exchange — the largest swap since Russia launched its war against Ukraine in 2014. A total of 1,000 prisoners from both sides are expected to return home between May 23 and 25. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that 390 Ukrainians were brought back as part of the exchange on the first day.
The prisoner exchange came as diplomatic efforts to end the war regained momentum and Ukraine has "always consistently insisted that Europe must be at the table of possible future negotiations," Sybiha said.
Zelensky previously invited Putin to meet him face-to-face at the Istanbul talks. Putin refused, sending a delegation head by his aide, Vladimir Medinsky. The results of the talks were largely inconclusive as Moscow reiterated maximalist demands, including that Ukraine accept the loss of Crimea and four eastern regions.
Mykolaj Suchy
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