Zelensky rejects an agreement
The Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj made it clear on Tuesday that he was ready for talks with Russia, but would not accept a agreement that recognizes Moscow's control over the Crimea. "Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of the Crimea," he said to journalists. "There is nothing to discuss. It violates our constitution."
US reactions and negotiations
Rubio said that he had a “productive conversation” with the British Foreign Minister David Lammy, who heads the meeting on Wednesday, and that he is looking forward to further speaking to the United Kingdom and Ukraine at a later date. The discussions in London are against the background that US officials have publicly expressed their frustration with a lack of progress in the end of the war.
Trump about negotiations
President Trump had stated that he wanted to see “seriousness from both sides” so that the United States can continue the negotiations. Rubio had warned last week that Washington could stop his efforts to terminate the conflict if there are no signs of progress. The comprehensive framework was presented to both sides to check whether the differences can be reduced in a short time. According to the official report, aspects of the framework are still to be clarified, and the United States is planning to work with the Europeans and Ukrainians this week.
Witkoff's trip to Moscow
Trump's Middle East sent Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow this week to continue negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the White House announced on Tuesday. The Kremlin confirmed Witkoff's visit, but said no further details, according to the Russian state media. Press spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday that the negotiations "hopefully move in the right direction" and refused to explain what a "return from peace efforts" could look like.
conversations about a ceasefire
Moscow had previously blocked negotiations and rejected a previous US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, which had been accepted by Kiev. Under pressure from Trump, however, both Ukraine and Russia have signaled willingness to negotiate for the first time in years. The two sides had no direct conversations from Moscow Invasion since the early weeks of Moscow Invasion.
Putin's statements about direct conversations
On Monday, Putin brought the opportunity to discuss direct discussions with Ukraine about a ceasefire that would end the attacks on civil interest, but pointed out that further discussions were necessary to clarify how a civil goal should be defined. The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later confirmed Putin's statements and said "(Putin) had negotiations and discussions with the Ukrainian side in mind," reported Reuters, citing the Interfax.
news agency
This article was supported by Anna Chernova, Kosta Gak, Kylie Atwood and Jennifer Hansler from CNN.
