Putin failed to halt the war and just imposed further restrictions on Russian oil corporations.
ROME: President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that he expected to present revised suggestions to the United States “in the near future” to halt Russia’s war in Ukraine, following a meeting with European allies to strategise their next actions.
US President Donald Trump is urging Kyiv to accept an agreement proposed by Washington, the earlier version of which was slammed by Ukraine’s friends as being too advantageous to Russia.
After meeting with European friends this week, Zelensky wrote on X that the “Ukrainian and European components are now more developed, and we are ready to present them to our partners in the US”.
“In the near future, we will be ready to send the refined documents to the United States,” stated the minister. On Monday, he stated that the suggestions may be delivered to Washington on Tuesday. In an interview with Politico published on Tuesday, Trump, who had previously accused Zelensky of failing to read the most recent US proposals, claimed Russia had the “upper hand” in the battle.
He also accused Kyiv of “using war” to evade elections, which have been postponed due to martial law imposed after Russia invaded its neighbour.
“You know, they talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it’s not a democracy anymore,” he remarked.
Without martial law, the Ukrainian presidential election would have been held in March 2024.
‘No legal rights.’
On Monday, Zelensky met with European leaders in London and Brussels. On Tuesday, he met with Pope Leo XIV and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Washington’s offers envisaged Ukraine giving up territory that Russia had not taken — the entire Donbas region — in exchange for security guarantees that fell short of Kyiv’s NATO ambitions.
Zelensky said on Monday that Washington’s 28-point plan had been cut to 20 points following weekend talks between the US and Ukraine.
During a televised address on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin described Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region as “historical territory” for Russia.
“This territory is important; it is our historical territory, absolutely,” he told me.
Trump criticises Europe.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has taken a mixed approach to Ukraine, initially criticising Zelensky for not being appreciative for US assistance.
But Obama was also angry that efforts to persuade Putin to cease the war had failed, so he recently imposed further restrictions on Russian energy companies.
European allies have shown sympathy with Ukraine.
In an interview with Politico, Trump slammed Europe’s role, stating, “They talk but don’t produce.”
Meloni, who sees herself as a bridge between Trump and Europe, has been a fervent backer of Ukraine since Russia’s invasion, but one of her coalition partners, Matteo Salvini’s League party, is more suspicious of help to Kyiv.