Kyiv, Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine would decide who represents Europe in any negotiations with Russia, according to an interview with Ukrainian media published late on Sunday. His comments came as Kyiv seeks to revive diplomatic efforts to end the war with Russia.
Europe’s role in negotiations
Ukraine has been trying to reinvigorate the diplomatic push to end Russia’s more than four-year-old war by involving European countries, as U.S.-backed negotiations have stalled amid the war in Iran and Ukraine’s refusal to accept Russian demands to cede territory.
Zelenskiy said Ukraine was discussed “at greater length than ever before” at a European Council meeting last week.
“We discussed Europe’s role in the dialogue with the Russians and what that role should be,” he said, relaying his comments to Ukrainian media on social media platform X.
“Europe will consider the format and propose several options, but Ukraine will decide who represents Europe in the negotiations. That is fair.”
European divisions over talks with Moscow
European leaders have recently begun discussing the possibility of direct talks with Moscow, but they remain divided over how to manage relations with Russia.
Zelenskiy had also urged allies to increase pressure on Russia to end the war at the Group of Seven summit in the French resort of Evian-les-Bains, where he met with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Patriot missile production request
Zelenskiy repeated his request for Trump to approve licenses allowing Ukraine to manufacture U.S.-designed Patriot interceptor missile systems locally. He said the war in Iran had highlighted a global shortage of such weapons at a time when Russia is increasing its ballistic missile production.
“This time, it became quite public that the U.S. team had responded positively to the issue of licenses for the first time,” Zelenskiy said.
The U.S. interceptors are the only effective weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal for shooting down Russian ballistic missiles.