Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that Russian representatives should attend the next international summit on the Ukraine war.
The comments marked a shift for Zelensky since he had previously refused to invite Russia to attend international summits where he was pushing his “peace formula.” Switzerland hosted a summit last month that included representatives from 92 countries, but Russia was not invited.
Zelensky told reporters that he’s in the process of planning the next summit. “I set a goal that in November we would have a fully ready plan,” he said, according to Reuters. “I think that representatives of Russia should be at the second summit.”
Zelensky’s comments come as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been pushing for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. Orban discussed his ideas in recent visits to Kyiv, Moscow, and Beijing. For his efforts, top EU officials are boycotting meetings held in Hungary, which is currently holding the EU’s rotating presidency.
Zelensky’s “peace formula” calls for a complete Russian withdrawal from Ukrainian territory before peace talks could even happen, which is a non-starter for negotiations with Moscow.
During his visit to Kyiv, Orban suggested Zelensky consider a ceasefire with Russia as a first step toward a peace deal. Zelensky rejected the idea, but his comments about Russia attending the summit could signal a softening stance.
Throughout the war, the only time a real peace deal was on the table was back in March and April of 2022. But the US and NATO discouraged Ukraine from signing an agreement and promised to support its fight against Russia.
But Z passed a law making negotiating with the Russians a crime. I guess that's no big deal, what the hell.
Z is nothing, he had no authority when he was president and now he is not even a president, what is he anyway? And senile Biden's signature is worth nothing either. What a mess.
Worse than "nothing", he's a genocidal criminal. Putin could counter-propose Hungary and with EU members (not Washington) present to witness and ratify in the event.
Desperate bleating of a desperate American puppet!
Soon Joey Biden and Zelensky will be swept into the dustbin of history.
The ignominious pair will forever be intertwined in purgatory.
I agree: "Soon Joey Biden and Zelensky will be swept into the dustbin of history." If we survive until then, it's unlikely we would learn any lesson from that "dustbin of history." We're allergic to dust but more importantly to history itself. Recently, people said, "maybe we forgot how terrible a world war looks like because it's been 80 years since the last one." You can't fix stupid.
It would be very bizarre if Russia agrees to participate in this clown show.
Yes, it's clearly not a neutral, ergo,serious, context.
Zelenski is watching our elections. He is preparing Ukraine and NATO for a potential Trump presidency. If that happens, Ukraine may need a speedy end to the war with the acceptance of Russian demands because the EU will not take over Biden's support. That takeover is only wanted by Poland and the Baltic States.
The Cult of Trump has been trying to will his win into existence. Keep trying, gang! (I will be surprised if he really does give a speech at the RNC convention calling for unity after the attempt on his life.)
I hope you're not implying dieter is part of the "Cult of Trump". Even some of Trumps most ardent haters (me) know what dieter said was accurate. Zelensky does fear a potential Trump presidency.
What I said was just as accurate. It's doesn't matter if he's a Trumper or not.
No it wasn't. Saying the cult members are "trying to will his win into existence" sure makes it sound like he doesn't really have a chance otherwise. The poll numbers have shown otherwise. He and Biden have been neck and neck all along.
I usually have a pretty good idea who’s going to win fairly early (I predicted Trump to win the general election in May of 2016, then did a state by state prediction and got 48 of 50 correct that September).
This year has too many balls in the air — whether Biden makes it to November, a fairly strong-looking third party / independent campaign (RFK), and whether Trump is able to ride the strong post-assassination-attempt impression or falls off that horse with one of his usual descents into crybaby bullshit.
I’ll be surprised if the outcome is very predictable before mid-October, if then.
You keep watching and hoping on those polls! (What younger person answers their phone to a unknown number? Older people do; and who do they support?)
Roe and fascism (Project 2025) are on the ballot. Lets see how it goes.
You can't be serious. You think I want Trump to win? Or Biden? I'm just telling you the scary facts. And I'm old and I don't answer my phone to any unknown numbers. I don't answer to most of the known numbers.
No. I don't think you're a Trumper. (Never did. I know where you stand on these things.) I was just making the case that the polls are very unreliable as more people have ditched their landlines. (And the real MAGA jaggoffs shouldn't count their chickens yet.)
Why do you establish a sick and dangerous emotional tie with me by hating me? Or do you hate Trump?
And my antiwar history? During the Nazi occupation of The Netherlands I lived in Amsterdam and because I was considered "Volksdeutsch", and with two Jewish grandparents, I was likely to be drafted into Hitler's armed forces.
With the aid of Dutch friends, a hiding place in the countryside was prepared for me if that was come to pass. I was not going to serve.
In 1941/42, Hitler changed my status to "reserve" which meant that I would be given the physical exam at the age of 16 but would not have to serve as long as I was in the reserves. I still have the document which proves it.
That changed in February of 1945 when I was called up. Because all of the German SD and SS had left Amsterdam, I began to live at another address in Amsterdam until the war was over.
I am for an end to the war in Ukraine because it is mostly Russian workers killing Ukrainian workers and Ukrainian workers killing Russian workers. For me, an old-fashioned socialist, that is unacceptable.
dieter
I am so very sorry that you thought I was talking about you. I was defending you and then I was talking about how even the Trump haters would have known what you said was accurate. I have edited my comment. I hope that helps. Again, I am very sorry.
And by the way, I respect the hell out of you.
Accepted! But stop hating. I hated my father until I discovered what it did to my brain.
It doesn't consume me, so it probably isn't real hate.
Everyone is waiting for Trump, e.g. the Saudis.
Incoming Conspiracy Theory: NATO knows it cannot prevail over Russia, and that the Ukraine is a dying star. Perhaps it's NATO that wants to decouple and they're putting Zelensky up to this so that negotiations appear to be his idea and not theirs. They all know the game is decided, and everyone is implementing their exit strategy (everyone but the US, that is, and when European support vanishes we're going to look pretty stupid holding the bag).
Way to go ZMAN!
Russia won't attend unless they know beforehand that the summit would lead to the complete peace they were looking for…!
1. Russia signed two peace agreements with Z, in 2019 and 2022. In both cases he failed to comply.
2. Russia no longer recognizes Z as President of Ukraine since his term expired and he cancelled the election he was sure to lose.
if they really want peace with Russia, they should send zelenski's head in a box and then the peace summit can happen.
I wouldn't be surprised if Russia sent the local Moscow dog catcher to the summit – or even someone higher up. But all he's gonna do is reiterate what Russia wants from Ukraine. And Ukraine can't do it even if they wanted to – which they don't – because the US won't allow it.
More crap and a waste of time for everyone.
We have already crossed the Rubicon. There is no negotiating with the west. They can not be trusted, EVER. If Russia believes that any peace deal will not be followed up by the ascension of Ukraine to NATO and EU membership as well as continued military provocations and terrorist acts, they are fools.
The game is afoot and it must be taken to its final conclusion. The west will stop at nothing short of the destruction of Russian and bringing China to its knees.