European countries risk undermining the peace process between Russia and Ukraine again, as already happened in Istanbul in 2022, warns Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó. At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejects China as a security guarantor and rules out a meeting with Putin and Trump in Moscow.
European countries could once again dash hopes for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has warned. He expressed fears that European politicians pushing for the continuation of the conflict could derail the new peace process launched in Alaska by the presidents of Russia and the United States, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.
Szijjártó recalled the failed negotiations in Istanbul in the spring of 2022, when Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were close to signing an agreement. "At the time, European leaders effectively prevented Volodymyr Zelensky from signing the document," Szijjártó said on YouTube. He said it was now important for Putin and Trump to complete the peace process, which he said was in the interest of the whole world.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian president has clearly rejected China's involvement in the system of security guarantees for Ukraine. "We do not need a guarantor who does not help Ukraine. Beijing has supported Russia by opening access to the drone market," Zelensky said during a meeting with journalists, RBC Ukraine reported.
This position was in response to proposals made in 2022, when the Ukrainian negotiating delegation was considering the inclusion of all permanent members of the UN Security Council, including China, in the system of security guarantees.Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at the time that in addition to Russia, China, the US, France and Britain, other countries such as Germany and Turkey could be included in the system.
Another obstacle to peace negotiations may be the question of the meeting place. Zelensky clearly rejected the proposal for a trilateral summit with Putin and Trump in Moscow. He cited Austria, Switzerland or Turkey as possible alternatives.
"There will be no meeting in Moscow," he stressed. In addition, he expressed doubts about Budapest as a suitable place, because Hungary, in his opinion, does not support Ukraine sufficiently. According to CNN, the White House is considering Hungary and Switzerland as possible locations for a meeting between Putin and Zelensky, or for a subsequent summit with Trump.
TASS/gnews.cz - GH
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