The president of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenski, has made it clear that his country will not recognize any peace agreement reached without their participation, while Russia and the United States prepare to meet in Saudi Arabia with the aim of negotiating the end of the war in Ukraine.
“Ukraine considers that any negotiation on Ukraine without Ukraine is not valid and we cannot recognize No agreement on us without us“Zelenski said. His words come after knowing that the delegations of Russia and the United States have traveled to Riad for a series of key conversations, of which kyiv and the European Union have been excluded.
The rapid diplomatic movement He has generated concern in Europe, since conversations in Saudi Arabia could lay the foundations for a summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in the coming weeks. The US delegation includes high profile figures, such as Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, and the special envoy for Middle East, Steve Witkoff. On the part of Russia, Foreign Minister, Serguéi Lavrov, and Yuri Ushakov, the main foreign policy advisor to Putin, will attend.
The Kremlin has emphasized that the meeting is designed to prepare possible peace negotiations and a meeting between the presidents of both countries. HoweverLavrov has made it clear that Russia does not contemplate territorial concessions and that Europe will not take place at the table of negotiations.
Zelenski, who is in an official visit to the United Arab Emirates, will travel to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, although he has insisted that his trip is not related to conversations between Washington and Moscow. However, he has confirmed that he will ask the Saudi king about the issues discussed at the summit.
Riad conversations have caused restlessness in Europe, which feels relegated in the diplomatic process. Meanwhile, Moscow’s position remains uncertain and seems that the summit with the US will focus on how to start the process, a process that will not be approved by Ukraine if it does not have a chair at the negotiating table.
