Zelenskyy Denies Trump Claim That Ukraine Is Blocking Peace Talks

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Donald Trump of unfairly blaming Ukraine for blocking ongoing peace talks with Russia.

Ukrainian and Russian diplomats have gathered for their third round of trilateral discussions with the US in Geneva this week.

But early signs suggest not much progress was made, with Russian sources telling AFP that Tuesday’s talks were “very tense” and lasted for six hours.

It comes after the US president sent repeated warnings to his Ukrainian counterpart ahead of the “easy” talks, telling reporters: “Ukraine better come to the table, fast. That’s all I’m telling you. We are in a position we want them to come.”

Trump has baselessly blamed Ukraine for holding up peace negotiations since returning to office and trying to push a hurried ceasefire deal through.

He is determined to end the Ukraine war – which started almost four years ago with Russia’s land grab invasion – even if it means rewarding the aggressor.

But, it is Vladimir Putin who continues to stick to his maximalist gains and demands Ukraine gives up even more of its sovereign territory.

Russia already controls a fifth of Ukraine but it wants complete ownership over the Donbas region, around 10% of which is still in Ukrainian control.

Zelenskyy told Axios that US mediators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner told him Russia actually does want to end the war.

The White House wants Ukraine to withdraw its troops from the Donbas so it can become a “demilitarised free economic zone” instead as part of a peace deal.

But the Ukrainian president said he told Trump’s representatives that they should not try to force him to sell a vision of peace which his own population would see as an “unsuccessful story”.

Zelenskyy also said it was “not fair” that Trump is urging Ukraine, not Russia, to concede.

“I hope it is just his tactics and not the decision,” he said, suggesting that it might be easier for Trump to pressure Ukraine than its much more powerful and aggressive neighbour.

But Zelenskyy pointed out that giving up any more land would be unforgivable.

He said: “Emotionally, people will never forgive this. Never. They will not forgive… me, they will not forgive [the US].”

He added that Ukrainians “can’t understand why” they would be asked to give up more territory, saying: “This is part of our country, all these citizens, the flag, the land.”

Zelenskyy also made a point of thanking Trump for his efforts with peace – almost exactly a year after the president claimed Zelenskyy never said thank you.

He also said Witkoff and Kushner do not apply the same kind of pressure in private as Trump does in public.

Zelenskyy also suggested meeting Putin for a face-to-face in Geneva to find a breakthrough with the talks.

The Ukrainian president has previously theorised that Trump is keen to resolve the war before the US midterm elections in November to boost his standing among American voters.