Ukraine and “whole world” agree that Russia should be invited to next peace summit – Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview granted to several French media outlets including AFP that “the whole world” including Ukraine wanted Russia to participate in a future peace summit this year e.

“The majority of the world says today that Russia must be represented at the second summit, otherwise we will not achieve significant results. Since the whole world wants them at the table, we cannot be against it,” he said in this interview conducted Tuesday in Rivne, in western Ukraine.

Ukraine had organized a peace summit in Switzerland in mid-June with a hundred countries, mainly allies. Russia had been excluded. China, a diplomatic heavyweight and close to Moscow, had therefore refused to participate.

From now on, Ukraine will develop a plan by November that should serve as the basis for a future summit to which the Kremlin will be invited.

But President Vladimir Putin has set as a condition for talks that kyiv give up the territories occupied by the Russian army and renounce joining NATO, demands unacceptable to Ukrainians and Westerners. The Kremlin also mocked the first summit.

Ukraine insists on respecting its territorial integrity, while Moscow claims the annexation of four regions since 2022 in addition to Crimea in 2014.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during an interview with several French media outlets including AFP, in Rivne, western Ukraine, on July 30, 2024 © AFP – Genya SAVILOV

As part of the first peace summit, kyiv had also insisted on three points: free navigation in the Black Sea, crucial for its economy and global food security; the return to Ukraine of prisoners and civilians detained or deported in Russia; and an end to strikes against its civilian energy infrastructure.

“We will prepare a plan based on the peace formula that was publicly presented at the first summit, I want to set a date for our diplomats and I want our international partners to do the same, so that in November we will have a document that will contain everything: territorial integrity, sovereignty, etc.”, the Ukrainian leader explained.

– Call on China to exert pressure –

Moscow said it was waiting for more details about this summit to decide on possible participation, while asserting that the power in place in kyiv was not a legitimate interlocutor.

Mr. Zelensky also called on China to pressure its Russian ally to end the war that has torn its country apart for two and a half years, something Beijing, at least publicly, has not done so far.

“If China wants, it can force Russia to stop this war. China belongs to the world and is an influential state,” he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during an interview with several French media outlets including AFP, in Rivne, western Ukraine, on July 30, 2024 © AFP – Genya SAVILOV

“I don't want her as a mediator, I want her to put pressure on Russia,” the president insisted Ukrainian.

According to the West, Beijing, by supporting Russia economically, has allowed the Russian industrial machine to transform into a war economy, by providing it with the components that Moscow lacked for its weapons factories.

The Chinese authorities have never condemned the Russian invasion, but they have proclaimed their support for the territorial integrity of all countries in the world, which therefore includes Ukraine.

Mr. Zelensky has also criticized his Western allies once again, accusing them of prohibiting him from freely using the weapons delivered to strike military targets on Russian territory, from where Moscow's army can therefore operate with impunity to bomb Ukraine.

“It’s a big challenge, the fact that we can’t use (Western) weapons as we need to stop the enemy,” he said.

Mr. Zelensky explains that he is “working very hard” to convince his allies to let him use these weapons as the Ukrainian army sees fit.

“Unfortunately, our partners are still afraid of that,” he regretted, with Westerners saying they could provoke an escalation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky poses after an interview with several French media outlets including AFP, in Rivne, western Ukraine, on July 30, 2024 © AFP – Genya SAVILOV

The Ukrainian president nevertheless ruled out overriding the Western veto, so as not to endanger future aid.

“If we use our partners' weapons (without their agreement), then they will be able to say 'we will not give you anything more', it is a risk,” he explained.

But he also regretted the fact that the aid provided is insufficient.

“Do you think it is possible to stop (the Russians) if only three (Ukrainian brigades) out of 14 are equipped ?”, Mr. Zelensky said, estimating that this lack of equipment had allowed the Russian army to nibble away at hundreds of km2 of Ukrainian territory since the beginning of the year.

– American risk –

Asked about the American presidential election in November and the consequences for aid to Ukraine, Mr. Zelensky acknowledged the existence of a “risk” for his country.

“We cannot influence any election, but, of course, the United States is a challenge today. And there are risks that none of us can predict”, he said said.

A vital ally of Ukraine, the United States has provided tens of billions of dollars in aid to kyiv to deal with the Russian invasion under President Joe Biden, a Democrat, a policy that his vice president, Kamala Harris, is expected to continue if elected.

While the Republican camp has long firmly supported kyiv, a group among them, convinced supporters of Donald Trump, blocked aid to Ukraine for months between late 2023 and early 2024.

© AFP – Genya SAVILOV

In kyiv and in Europe, many fear that this essential assistance could be called into question if Mr. Trump. The latter has repeatedly stated, without further details, that he will force both sides to a negotiated solution.

He also chose J.D. Vance, a fierce opponent of support for Kiev, as his vice president.

“As president of Ukraine I must have a dialogue between my team and that of (Joe) Biden, Trump and now Harris. We must have these contacts to discuss what the future could be made of, if one side or another wins the election,” the Ukrainian president summarized, while saying he was certain that a “majority” would support Ukraine no matter what.

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