Zelensky: Russia’s rejection of a ceasefire complicates peace negotiations

Berlin.- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that Russia’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire before undertaking negotiations for a peace agreement complicates the situation. “We see that Russia rejects the numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will end the slaughter. This complicates the situation,” Zelensky declared in a message on X. “If they don’t have the will to execute a simple order to stop the attacks, it may take a lot of effort to get Russia to have the will to implement something much greater, a peaceful coexistence with its neighbor for decades,” lamented the Ukrainian president. However, Zelensky assured that -together with his allies- Ukraine is working towards peace and security. “Stopping the slaughter is a key element in stopping the war,” insisted the Ukrainian leader, who added that he is preparing for the meeting he will hold on Monday in Washington with the American president, Donald Trump, who met on Friday with the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, in Alaska (USA).

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“It is important that everyone agrees that there needs to be a conversation at the leaders’ level to clarify all the details and determine what steps are necessary and how they will work,” commented Zelensky in relation to Trump’s proposal to hold a trilateral summit with Putin. In previous statements, throughout this Saturday, the Ukrainian president set among the priorities, for the negotiation of a peace agreement, the declaration of a ceasefire on all fronts and the release of all Ukrainians in Russian captivity. In addition, Zelenskyy stressed the importance of credible security guarantees involving both Europe and the U.S. and demanded that territorial issues not be decided without the involvement of Ukraine.