Volodymyr Zelensky declared he would never accept a deal negotiated only between Russia and the US as a US team landed in the Gulf state.
According to reports, Ukraine will not go to a Saudi Arabian summit where Donald Trump’s team will talk with Russian officials about ending the war.
“This is the war in Ukraine, against us, and it is our human losses,” he told NBC, adding that he would never accept any decisions made by the US and Russia regarding Ukraine.
The White House’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, has attempted to reassure Ukraine that it will be included in the negotiations. He and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz will visit Saudi Arabia later today.
Prior to the negotiations, he told Fox News, “I hope we will make some really good progress.” He also mentioned that Ukraine is involved in the discussions and that the President spoke with their President Zelensky this week. This is not about excluding anyone, in my opinion.
The talks, which were first billed as a three-way meeting between Russia, the US, and Ukraine, have not invited Ukraine, Mr. Zelensky said on Saturday. Kyiv will not be attending, a government source told the BBC.
Following the United States’ insistence that the continent come up with “ideas” or risk being excluded from the peace negotiations, Sir Keir Starmer is scheduled to attend an emergency meeting of European leaders on Monday.
