Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the Ukrainian side will not participate in the announced Russian-American talks in Saudi Arabia.
He said this during an online press conference in Abu Dhabi on February 17.
The President added that Kyiv will not recognize the results of this dialogue, as it does not accept the possibility of any negotiations without Ukraineʼs participation.
"Ukraine knew nothing about this. We cannot recognize any things or agreements about us without us, and we will not recognize such agreements. The US has the right to do this [negotiations with Russia] if they have bilateral issues. They have talked about this before. Only now have they started talking publicly," Zelensky told reporters.
The head of state added that the Ukrainian delegation will pay an official visit to Saudi Arabia.
"This has nothing to do with the things that are happening in Saudi Arabia at the level of representatives of the United States and Russia. Of course, I will ask His Highness Mohammed [Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia] what he knows about this. Itʼs just interesting," the president says.
Trumpʼs plans for Ukraine
During the election campaign, Trump claimed that he could end the war in Ukraine “in one day”. However, after being elected president, his narratives changed. The American newspaper The Wall Street Journal wrote that he instructed special envoy Keith Kellogg to end the war in 100 days.
Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly stressed that the state will defend its integrity and will not cede its territories to Russia. In September 2024, Zelensky met with Trump and presented him with a victory plan.
Trump said on February 9 that he has a concrete plan to end the war and wants to make a $500 billion deal with Volodymyr Zelensky for access to rare earth minerals and gas in Ukraine in exchange for security guarantees in a potential peace deal.
Zelensky said that Kyiv was open to partnership on this issue, but he did not sign the agreement on this because it did not provide security guarantees for Ukraine.
On February 15, Kellogg said he wanted to bring all sides to talks to end the war within 180 days, with the United States acting as a mediator. At the same time, he stressed that this “will not be Minsk 2”. He noted that Europe’s position on a peaceful settlement would be taken into account, but there would be no physical European representatives at the negotiating table.
- Axiosʼ sources reported that a meeting of senior US and Russian officials to discuss a possible agreement to end the war in Ukraine and prepare for the Trump-Putin summit will take place on February 18 in Saudi Arabia.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.