Ukrainian ambassador to US says Trump to act from position of strength in talks with Putin
Photo: Oksana Markarova (mof.gov.ua)
Ukrainian ambassador to the US Oksana Markarova is confident that the US will act from a position of strength in talks with Russia and that a joint solution to end the war will eventually be found, according to her interview with CBS News.
"The front line in east and south of Ukraine is the front line between evil and good. And the question is, when that front line is going to be. Is it going to be on our territory? Is it going to be on our borders? Or is it going to be in Europe and everywhere, where it will affect Europe, the US, and other. I am confident that the US will be coming from the position of strength, you know, peace through strength, and that will allow us, together, to find a solution to stop Russia's aggression," she stressed.
Commenting on the upcoming meeting between US President Donald Trump and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, the diplomat said Ukraine "really is hopeful that this push from President Trump" and achieve excellent results.
She also reminded that Ukraine has agreed to any type of ceasefire, whether full or partial.
"So yes, we want Putin to stop, and we really are hopeful that this push from President Trump, and the sanction packages which are on the table, and secondary sanctions which are already implemented against those who help Russia, will convince President Putin that this is time for him to finally stop his aggression," the diplomat said.
Markarova added that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been committed to peace from the first day of Russia’s aggression and is ready to promote the peace agenda anywhere. If needed, he will be present at meetings.
The diplomat noted that Ukraine is ready to discuss how to end the war, but a ceasefire has always been an important step to "stop the killings, and let's get to diplomacy."
She also stressed that it was Russia that attacked Ukraine, illegally seizing Crimea and other territories.
At the same time, she warned against ideas of "buffer zones" or dividing Ukraine, calling them outdated concepts of the last century.
Separately on Facebook, Markarova wrote that "for the first time in years of active interviews in the US, I brought the Constitution of Ukraine to the studio," which contains the answers to questions about Ukrainian territories.
Background
Recently, US President Donald Trump announced that on August 15, he would meet Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska, with the war in Ukraine as the key topic.
Before the announcement, Trump told reporters that Ukraine and Russia might have to "exchange territories."
Media later reported that during Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff’s visit to Moscow on August 6, Putin allegedly agreed to a ceasefire if Ukraine withdrew its troops.
Soon after, Bild wrote that Witkoff misunderstood Putin, interpreting the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions as the withdrawal of Russian troops. In reality, Putin meant the withdrawal of the Ukrainian army.
On the morning of August 9, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded, stating that Ukraine would not give up its territories to the Russian forces.
Meanwhile, alongside news of the Trump-Putin meeting, media reported that a trilateral meeting involving Zelenskyy could follow. Sources now suggest Zelenskyy may also take part in the Alaska summit, though no final decision has been made.
