In peace negotiations, which are taking place at various levels, Ukraine is focused on ensuring strong security guarantees, maintaining sovereignty and territory, said this Monday, December 1, Volodymyr Zelensky.
In Paris, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, the Ukrainian head of state said he hopes to speak with US President Donald Trump after the meeting between US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, scheduled for this Tuesday (2). “We look forward to a conversation with the President of the United States on key issues that are quite challenging,” said Zelensky, cited by the international press.
Earlier, on social media, the Ukrainian president highlighted that “peace must be truly lasting” and that “the war must end as quickly as possible.” “Much now depends on the involvement of all leaders,” he said.
During the joint press conference, the French president stressed that the “level of pressure on the oil and gas industry in Russia will, in the coming weeks, be the highest since the start of the war”. “I think this will change the game”, considered Macron, emphasizing that “the level of pressure on the Russian economy will clearly increase”.
A peace plan between Russia and Ukraine can only be finalized with Kiev and the Europeans “sitting at the table”, declared Emmanuel Macron, during the press conference.
“There is, strictly speaking, no plan finalized today on territorial issues. It can only be finalized by President Zelensky,” said Macron, adding that “American mediators will travel to Moscow in the next few hours.”
“On the issues of frozen assets, security guarantees, membership of the European Union and European sanctions, (this plan) can only be finalized with the Europeans sitting at the table. Therefore, we are still in a preliminary phase”, he said.
And he added that “Ukraine is the only country that can make decisions about its territory”.
Macron also said that work on security guarantees for Ukraine was “finished”, stressing that talks will take place with US authorities in the coming days to “clarify” the US role in this matter.
After meeting in Paris with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, the French head of state accused Russia of “not showing any sign of wanting peace”, which, according to him, “is sought by Americans, Ukrainians and Europeans”.
Zelensky, who is expected in Ireland on Tuesday, according to the AFP agency, said that Russia should not be rewarded for the invasion of Ukraine.
Macron and Zelensky held a videoconference from Paris with the United States special envoy for Ukraine, Steve Witkoff, according to sources at the Elysee Palace.
In addition to Witkoff, who travels to Moscow this Monday, Macron and Zelensky also spoke with the Ukrainian chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, eight European leaders, the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission and the secretary general of NATO, the sources added.
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