‘US, not Russia, is repeatedly asking Ukraine to make concessions’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused the US, the mediator in the ongoing peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, of repeatedly pressuring Ukraine, not Russia, to make concessions.

In a speech at the Munich Security Conference, he warned that a sustainable peace requires not only concessions, but also specific and long-term security guarantees for Ukraine.

A trilateral meeting is scheduled to be held in Geneva next week under the mediation of US President Donald Trump to end Europe’s largest war since 1945. Zelensky is optimistic about the meeting but has expressed anger at the nature of the talks.

In his speech, Zelensky said that the absence of European countries in the peace talks was a big mistake. He believes that bringing Europe to the negotiating table would increase the chances of ending the war. One of the main complications in the talks currently is Russia’s demand to withdraw troops from the Donetsk region of Ukraine.

Ukraine is not willing to withdraw its troops on its own and is also seeking at least 20-year security guarantees from Western countries to prevent a possible Russian re-invasion after the ceasefire. Although the United States has offered a 15-year guarantee, Putin is adamantly opposed to the deployment of any foreign troops in Ukraine.

Describing Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “slave of war,” the Ukrainian president accused Moscow of trying to prolong the negotiation process. In particular, he sees the sudden change in the Russian delegation for the Geneva meeting as a time-wasting tactic.

Zelensky warned that trying to bring peace by dividing Ukraine would be an illusion, as was done by abandoning Czechoslovakia before World War II.

Acknowledging pressure from President Trump for a quick peace deal, Zelensky said Trump should force Putin to accept a ceasefire. He made it clear that a referendum is needed before any peace deal and that a nationwide election, as well as a strong ceasefire monitoring mission and prisoner exchange, are essential.

He said that Russia currently holds about 7,000 Ukrainian soldiers and Ukraine holds 4,000 Russian soldiers.

Source: Al Jazeera.