The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, and the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, have shared their thoughts on peace negotiations, as reported by Tengrinews.kz.
Specifically, Zelensky stated in an interview with Fox News that U.S. President Donald Trump could compel Russia to seek peace if he "has the will to do so."
According to Zelensky, Trump rightly urged Putin to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine; otherwise, Moscow will face even greater economic pressure.
"This is exactly what Putin fears. He doesn't want a strong Trump supporting Ukraine, because that would mean a strong Ukraine," said the Ukrainian president.
He also called for increased international pressure on Putin, particularly from China. Zelensky pointed out that Putin does not fear Europe, which is why Ukraine needs stronger guarantees from the U.S.
"If President Trump has the will to make Putin come to peace, he can do it," said the President of Ukraine.
In turn, Putin stated that Russia is ready to engage in peace talks with Zelensky but does not consider him a legitimate president of Ukraine capable of signing a peace agreement, as reported by Euronews.
He also mentioned that Moscow had offered Kyiv to "withdraw" from the self-proclaimed LPR and DPR right after the war began, claiming that there would have been no military actions otherwise.
"Negotiations can be held with anyone, but due to his illegitimacy, he has no right to sign anything. However, if he wants to participate in the negotiations, I will appoint people who will conduct these talks. The question is in the final signing of documents. This is a very serious issue that must guarantee the security of both Ukraine and Russia for a serious, long-term historical perspective," said Putin.
Previously, Putin had stated that Ukraine must renounce its NATO membership and completely withdraw its troops from the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson regions—Ukrainian territories seized by Russia in 2022. Moscow also wants the West to lift sanctions that have restricted Russia's access to global markets and severely impacted the country's economy.
