Zelenskyy warns Trump-Putin talks on Ukraine without Kyiv are dangerous

He made the statement in an interview with the Associated Press.

Zelenskyy stated that while the United States and Russia can maintain relations, discussing Ukraine without its involvement is dangerous for everyone. He emphasized that he should be the first to speak with his American counterpart before engaging in any contacts with Russia.

“I would like to see the United States of America, Ukraine and the Russians at the negotiating table. ... And, to be honest, a European Union voice should also be there. I think it would be fair, effective. But how will it turn out? I don’t know,” Zelenskyy emphasized.

He also said that his team has been in contact with the Trump administration, but these discussions are taking place at a “general level,” and he believes that there should be personal meetings soon to develop more detailed agreements.

“We need to work more on this,” Zelenskyy emphasized.

According to him, without security guarantees from Ukraine's allies, any agreement with Russia will only be a harbinger of future aggression. 

“I really believe that these are the cheapest security guarantees that Ukraine can get, the cheapest for everyone. It will be a signal that it is not for Russia to decide who should be in NATO and who should not, but for the United States of America to decide. I think this is a great victory for Trump,” the Ukrainian leader said.

In addition, he noted that other proposals for security guarantees should be backed up by a sufficient number of weapons from the United States and Europe and support for Kyiv in developing its own defense industry.

After U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's statement that the war has set Ukraine back 100 years, Zelenskyy called on him to visit Ukraine, “first of all, to see what Russia has done. But also to see what the Ukrainian people did, what they were able to do for the security of Ukraine and the world.”

• U.S. President Donald Trump said on January 31 that his administration had had “very serious” discussions with Russia, saying he hoped to do something “significant” with Kremlin leader Putin to end the war.