President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday called for a complete end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – not just a pause in the fighting that has raged since February 2022 – ahead of US-Russia talks in Moscow centering on a peace plan aimed at ending Europe’s deadliest war since World War II.
Zelensky is seeking support from European allies, who fear the US plan – which is rumored to have been drafted in Moscow – reads like a wishlist for Putin.
“Our common task is to end the war, not just to achieve a pause in hostilities. A dignified peace is needed. For this to truly happen, everyone must be on the side of peace,” he said at a joint press conference with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin during his official visit to Ireland.
Earlier on Tuesday, following his arrival in Ireland, Zelensky received a detailed briefing on recent US-Ukraine negotiations in Miami, Florida, where Ukraine’s negotiators reported “significant progress” in revising the initial plan, but noted that challenging issues remain.
“Rustem Umerov and the participants of the talks in Florida reported on the main points raised by the American side in the dialogue. The work was based on the Geneva document, which has been further refined,” Zelensky wrote on social media.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s son-in-law and special envoy headed to Moscow on Tuesday to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. They are expected to present a plan, revised by the Ukraine and US delegations in Geneva and Florida.
Putin, however, remained defiant ahead of the meeting, telling reporters: “We are not planning to go to war with Europe, but if Europe wants to and starts, we are ready right now.”
Putin also claimed Russia is open to Europeans returning to negotiations – despite Europe having been sidelined by the US from the process so far – but only if they take Russia’s battlefield gains into account.
The Russian leader, however, said the current European proposals are unacceptable to Moscow, echoing earlier Kremlin statements.
“Europe is putting forward proposals for a peace plan on Ukraine that are unacceptable to Russia,” he added.
A Ukrainian delegation could meet Witkoff and Kushner later this week, possibly in Brussels, a senior Kyiv official told AFP. Zelensky said the US team is expected to “report directly to us after their meeting” with Putin.
In Brussels, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed cautious optimism, saying he is “confident” US efforts will “eventually restore peace in Europe.”