Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that he would soon travel to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Turkey but that he had no plans at the moment to meet with Russian or US officials, Agence France-Presse reported.
“I will not meet with the Russians, but then I will not meet with the Americans there,” he said of the visits.
On Wednesday US President Donald Trump had a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, after which Trump announced that negotiations to end the war in Ukraine would commence immediately. He indicated that these talks would involve high-level officials from the US, Russia and Ukraine, with initial meetings planned in Munich and subsequently in Saudi Arabia.
Trump also mentioned the possibility of personal meetings with Putin in the future.
In response President Zelensky said Ukraine, battling a Russian invasion since February 2022, would not accept any peace agreement negotiated without its direct involvement. He underscored the necessity of a unified position from Ukraine, Europe and the US before engaging in negotiations with Russia. European leaders have echoed this sentiment, saying that any peace deal must include Ukraine and be durable, rejecting the idea of a “dictated peace.”
The United Arab Emirates has offered to host talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, potentially leading to a peace summit between Presidents Putin and Zelensky.
However, Zelensky’s recent announcement indicates that he does not plan to meet with Russian or US officials during his upcoming visits to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.