Peace by July 4? Zelenskyy comments on Trump's new deadline
Photo: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (president.gov.ua)
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he supports the idea of ending the war as quickly as possible. However, this does not mean Ukraine is ready to make territorial concessions, the President said in response to a question from an RBC-Ukraine correspondent.
Zelenskyy on a possible July 4 date
The President commented on reports that the United States allegedly aims to end the war by July 4, the day of the 250th anniversary of US independence.
"As for July 4, (the reports - ed.) that the United States or President Trump wants to end the war, I can only support such a position if the US President actually stated this. For me, this is new information," Zelenskyy said.
He noted that the negotiation process is dynamic and the situation is changing rapidly.
Negotiations with the US: what was discussed
According to the President, during meetings in Abu Dhabi and Switzerland, the Ukrainian and US sides discussed the possibilities for a swift end to the war.
"The Ukrainian and United States sides raised the issue of the US desire to end this war as quickly as possible," he explained.
Fast track, but without territorial losses
Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine supports the format of quick decisions, but there is a fundamental limit.
"Ukraine has always supported fast solutions. We often talk about a fast track regarding EU accession, and regarding ending the war – this is exactly the fast track we unconditionally support. But this does not mean that the fast track is linked to giving up part of our territory," the President stressed.
What the US wants
Earlier, Bloomberg, citing sources, reported that the White House aims to reach an agreement to end the war by the celebration of the 250th anniversary of US independence on July 4.
At the same time, European officials and NATO representatives note that they currently see no signs that Russia is willing to compromise on its demands. According to sources, negotiations have repeatedly passed the deadlines set by the US.
How Trump envisions ending the war in Ukraine
It was previously reported that Donald Trump plans to sign an agreement on security guarantees and the end of the war in Ukraine during a large ceremony. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian side demands its prior approval by Congress.
Kyiv believes that security guarantees must first be agreed upon and ratified by US lawmakers. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that this will give Ukrainians confidence in the reliability of allies’ support in the future.
Earlier, the US President also stated that the war in Ukraine turned out to be more complex than he expected, although initially he considered it the easiest to resolve.
