Putin tries to avoid leaders-level meeting, Zelenskyy states
Photo: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
Russia’s strike on the American Flex plant in Mukachevo was deliberate and targeted. Russian leader Vladimir Putin is trying to avoid holding a leaders-level meeting, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his evening address.
As Zelenskyy said, in Mukachevo, the Russian forces effectively burned down an American-owned enterprise, which was not a military facility.
According to him, the strike was specifically aimed at American property and investments in Ukraine.
"A very demonstrative strike. Just like this whole massive attack. Right when the world expects a clear response from Russia regarding negotiations to end the war," the President emphasized.
He stressed that there are two formats at the leaders’ level where real progress could be made: a bilateral format between Ukraine and Russia, and a trilateral format including Ukraine, the US, and Russia.
These discussions were held in Washington, and Putin also mentioned this during a telephone conversation with Trump.
"Right now, the signals coming from Russia are outrageous. They are trying to dodge the need to hold a meeting. They don’t want to end this war. They continue massive attacks against Ukraine and very intense assaults on the frontlines. And on top of that, they launch missiles at an American enterprise — as well as at many other completely civilian targets of ours," Zelenskyy said.
Strike at the Mukachevo plant
On the night of August 21, Russian forces struck Mukachevo in the Zakarpattia region. Among the targets was the Flextronics plant of the American company Flex International, one of the world’s leaders in contract electronics manufacturing.
Earlier reports noted 19 injured, with six patients receiving inpatient treatment.
Later, the number of casualties rose to 23.
The Center for Countering Disinformation stated that these attacks have no military purpose; they are intended to intimidate people and prolong the war.
Meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin
The idea of a bilateral meeting emerged after US President Donald Trump held talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week, and on August 18, hosted European leaders alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House.
A trilateral meeting format between Zelenskyy, Putin, and Trump was previously discussed. However, after the Washington summit, Trump suggested that Zelenskyy and Putin meet first without his participation.
Media reports said Putin offered to meet with Zelenskyy in Moscow, but the Ukrainian leader refused.
There were also reports that the White House proposed Hungary as a neutral location for the Ukraine-Russia leaders’ meeting. However, Budapest has not officially confirmed this.
Yesterday, Zelenskyy stated that the meeting with Putin should take place only on neutral European territory, such as Austria or Switzerland, and did not rule out the possibility of holding talks in Türkiye.
At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Putin is willing to meet with the Ukrainian President "only if all the issues requiring discussion at the highest level are well worked out."
