Latvia’s president warns: Weeks ahead to show whether Putin seeks peace
President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs (Photo: Getty Images)
Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs believes that the coming weeks will show whether Russia will continue using delay tactics or will genuinely demonstrate readiness to resolve the war against Ukraine, reports Delfi.
According to him, the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska should be seen only as part of a broader and more complex process toward achieving a sustainable and just peace.
“We see that the US president and Putin spoke at length about what the next steps could be regarding a political settlement. Unfortunately, there is still no ceasefire, and Russia continues its aggression against Ukraine,” he noted.
Rinkēvičs believes that any peace agreement, if reached, must include clear and serious guarantees, particularly in the field of security. However, he emphasized that at this stage, the process is likely to face numerous challenges and complex situations. It may also require additional diplomatic efforts, both from experts and at the highest political levels.
He considers the coming week likely to be tense, as a meeting between the US and Ukrainian presidents is scheduled for Monday, followed by further consultations.
“Then we will see whether there are genuine possibilities for achieving peace in Ukraine, whether Russia truly wants it, or whether it seeks, through various delay tactics, to effectively sabotage a peace agreement,” he stressed.
Trump–Putin meeting
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks at a military base in Anchorage, Alaska. The main topic of the meeting was ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.
After meeting with Putin, Trump held phone conversations with President Zelenskyy and NATO leaders.
Trump later stated that he wants to hold a trilateral meeting with the leaders of Ukraine and Russia next Friday, August 22. However, Putin has not publicly committed to such a meeting.
