MOSCOW: Europe will need to participate in the peace talks, but Moscow wants to build trust with Washington first, President Vladimir Putin said on Monday, suggesting that an agreement to end the conflict could be far away.
Since Ukraine celebrated the third anniversary of the Russian invasion, killing thousands of civilians and displaced millions, US President Donald Trump suggested that the war could end within weeks. But he did not give any further details.
Putin told Russian state television that Trump was not reaching the Russian-Ukrainian conflict rationally and emotionally, but gave the impression that it could not end like Trump.
Putin added that his telephone conversation with Trump and the recent talks between the United States and Russia in Riyadh highlighted the issue of resolving the conflict in Ukraine.
“But it was not discussed in detail,” he said in an interview. “We just agreed that we would move towards it. And in this case, of course, we are not refusing to participate in European countries.
The European allies from Ukraine and Kiev objected to both that they did not invite the United States and Russia to talk to Ukraine in Saudi Arabia last week to discuss the early stages.
Putin said Europe had “nothing” in Europe, as he was focused on establishing trust between Moscow and Washington, which he said was a key.
“Both Russia and the United States should take the first step to solve complicated and severe problems, rather than solving severe problems, Putin said.
“What is it involved? This first step should be dedicated to expanding the level of trust between the two states.
“But what do European people do with it?”
He said that the next few rounds of negotiations and high -level contacts would be dedicated to expand this confidence, but once the dialogue turned towards an agreement in the dispute, the presence of European partners would be logical.
“They need to participate in the negotiation process. We never rejected it, we had a regular conversation with them.
Michael Froen, president of the US Council for Foreign Relations Think Tank, said it would be a mistake to come at the expense of a translatable coalition for a ceasefire agreement.
He wrote in a note last week, “In order to achieve peace by force, it will be in the interest of Trump to work with his European partners, who will bear the burden of Ukraine’s financial and economic survival. “
Putin also said he had approved a suggestion that Russia and the United States could discuss more than half of the military spending deepening deepens.
“We can deal with the United States. We are not against it,” Putin said.
“This idea looks good for me. The United States has reduced them by 50 % and we reduce our shortage by 50 %. And China can join us later if you want.
Putin dismissed any idea that Washington’s policy on Ukraine’s rapid changes, including criticism of Ukrainian President Wolodmeer Zelinsky, and suggestions that Kiev could not recover all the lost territory, emotionally Were
He said that Trump was free and free from the obstacles to promises made by Ukraine by logical and European leaders.
“On the contrary, the new president of the United States is free from heels that do not allow you to move forward,” he said.
He said that he was moving directly and without special obstacles. He is in a unique place: He doesn’t just say what he thinks, he says what he wants. It is the honor of the leader of a great powers.
