Ukrainian President Zelenskiy Expresses Distrust in Putin as EU Plans Peace Talks with Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has openly stated his lack of trust in Russian President Vladimir Putin amidst reports that the European Union is in the process of coordinating peace talks with Russia. The EU, as reported by Bloomberg on May 27, is working towards organizing a meeting in Saudi Arabia later this year with potential Russian involvement. Zelenskiy highlighted the upcoming June 15-16 Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland, which excludes Russia from participation, with representatives from numerous countries expected to attend. Despite holding around 200 rounds of talks with the Kremlin prior to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Zelenskiy expressed frustration at the lack of progress, asserting that the occupied territories remained under Russian control. With 90 countries committed to attending the summit near Lucerne, Switzerland next month, Zelenskiy urged global leaders, including US President Joe Biden, to prioritize peace efforts. However, it was noted that Biden would not attend the Swiss summit, opting for a campaign fundraiser instead, while Brazil and China are planning their own separate initiative. Zelenskiy's decision to exclude Russia from the Ukrainian-organized summit aligns with his stance that Russia's involvement could disrupt the discussions. In response, Moscow has downplayed the significance of the summit, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stating that peace talks without Russia are futile, and Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissing decisions regarding Ukraine that overlook Russia's input as detached from reality.
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