Ukraine’s president’s office names Europe’s most active countries in peace talks
Ihor Brusylo, deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine (Photo: facebook.com/president.gov.ua)
The Office of the President of Ukraine has identified seven European countries most actively involved in the peace process and negotiations to end Russia’s military aggression, states Ihor Brusylo, Deputy Head of the Office, during the national telethon Yedyni Novyny.
According to the official, the most active European participants in the peace process for Ukraine include:
- the UK,
- France,
- Germany,
- Italy,
- Finland,
- Norway,
- and Poland.
At the same time, the Deputy Head of the President’s Office noted that he might have missed someone in this list of European countries.
Brusylo also emphasized President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s readiness for peace talks in any format.
“Whether one-on-one with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, with (former US President Donald) Trump, or in a trio format. The main goal is to achieve a just and lasting peace,” the official said.
Additionally, Brusilo shared that following a phone call between Trump and Putin, everything is moving toward a negotiation process.
The deputy head of the President’s Office noted that Zelenskyy’s recent visit to the Vatican wasn’t limited to just an audience with Pope Leo XVII.
Brusylo pointed out that the president also met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter.
The official added that Switzerland is being considered as one of the possible neutral venues for the negotiations.
On the next round of Ukraine-Russia talks
On May 16, the first direct talks in a long time between Ukraine and Russia took place in Istanbul, Türkiye. At the meeting, the Moscow delegation presented maximalist demands. According to media reports, the Kremlin representatives demanded:
- Ukraine’s neutrality,
- Renunciation of reparations,
- Rights for Russian speakers,
- Recognition of the occupation of Ukrainian territories,
- Withdrawal of the Ukrainian army from several regions for an immediate ceasefire.
Effectively, the Russian side refused to agree to a 30-day ceasefire, which had been proposed, among others, by Washington, and which Kyiv had agreed to about two months earlier. The delegations from Russia and Ukraine only agreed to exchange prisoners of war on a thousand-for-thousand basis.
Recently, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine is currently discussing the possibility of new negotiations with Russia with its partners. The head of state noted that three countries are being considered as possible venues for these talks: Türkiye, the Vatican, and Switzerland.
On the night of May 21, it became known that Pope Leo XIV told Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni he is ready to host the next round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia at the Vatican.
