Zelensky says Russian ceasefire refusal ‘complicates' peace efforts

Sydney Morning Herald

12 hours ago

Zelensky spoke with Trump for 90 minutes on Sunday AEST to discuss Russian demands and prepare for new talks while issuing a list of principles for negotiation.
'Killings must stop as soon as possible, the fire must cease both on the battlefield and in the sky, as well as against our port infrastructure,' he said on social media.
'All Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians must be released, and the children abducted by Russia must be returned.
'Thousands of our people remain in captivity – they all must be brought home. Pressure on Russia must be maintained while the aggression and occupation continue.'
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In a new development that he did not signal in Alaska, Trump spoke to Zelensky about a three-way meeting between the United States, Russia and Ukraine. However, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said there had been no discussion of a three-way summit during the Alaska meeting, according to Russian state media.
In a related move, Trump's wife, Melania, wrote a letter to Putin about the plight of children in Ukraine and Russia. White House officials told Reuters of the letter but did not reveal the contents; it was handed to the Russian leader in Anchorage, although the US first lady was not at the summit.
'Sanctions are effective'
Trump hailed the meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, as a 'great and successful day' and sought to play down concerns that he did not emerge with a ceasefire agreement.
'It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up,' he said on social media.
A crucial concern in Europe, however, is that the US is not applying sufficient pressure on Putin – for instance, through economic sanctions – while the Russian leader benefits from generous treatment and talks with the American president.
Describing sanctions as 'an effective tool', Zelensky said security must be 'guaranteed reliably and in the long term, with the involvement of both Europe and the US'.
European leaders welcomed Trump's efforts but stepped up calls for details on security guarantees – a problematic issue given arguments about whether countries would police a ceasefire by putting 'boots on the ground' in Ukraine.
'We are clear that Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity,' said a statement from the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Finland, as well as the European Union.
'No limitations should be placed on Ukraine's armed forces or on its co-operation with third countries. Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine's pathway to [the] EU and NATO.'
Those principles appear certain to be dismissed by Russia, given that Putin strongly opposes any enlargement of NATO near Russian borders.
The European leaders have previously said a 'Coalition of the Willing' is ready to play an active role; however, they have yet to set out exactly how that would help maintain a ceasefire or long-term peace deal, although the UK has said it would send peacekeeping troops.
Starmer, who convened a meeting of the coalition last Wednesday, emphasised the stated willingness of the US to provide 'robust security guarantees' alongside European nations.
'This is important progress and will be crucial in deterring Putin from coming back for more,' he said. 'In the meantime, until he stops his barbaric assault, we will keep tightening the screws on his war machine with even more sanctions.'
'Our unwavering support for Ukraine will continue as long as it takes.'
'Putin won time'
Meanwhile, Ukrainian politicians mocked Trump for treating Putin with high honour in Alaska when the Russian leader is considered a war criminal by 120 countries.
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'When you repeatedly warn dictators of sanctions but never follow through, they just end up finding it amusing,' wrote Kira Rudik, a member of the Ukrainian parliament and leader of the Golos political party, on social media.
'Putin won time, President Trump got to shake [a] dictator's hand, Ukraine got nothing.'
Anger focused on the images of American soldiers kneeling at the Russian leader's aircraft to roll out a red carpet for his meeting with Trump.
'This image of American soldiers kneeling in front of a Russian plane to lay a red carpet for a war criminal should shake Europe awake,' wrote Olena Tregub, the head of a Ukrainian anti-corruption group linked to Transparency International.
Russia resumed its barrage of Ukraine on Saturday, launching 85 attack drones and a ballistic missile, Ukraine's Air Force said.
Frontline territories in the Sumy, Donetsk, Chernihiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions had been targeted in the overnight strikes, the air force said on the Telegram messaging app. It said its air defence units had destroyed 61 of the drones.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces said in its daily morning report that 139 clashes had also taken place on the front line over the previous day.
Russia said it had also come under attack, with its defence ministry saying it had shot down 53 Ukrainian drones overnight.