Ukraine welcomed European leaders on Monday to mark three years of total war with Russia, while senior US officials remained away in a clear illustration of President Donald Trump’s research to Moscow since his return to power .
Still in shock from Trump, calling President Volodymyr Zelenskiy a “dictator”, kyiv said that it was in the last steps to conclude an agreement with Washington to give access to his mineral wealth.
“We hope that we and the leaders of the AU to sign and approve it to Washington as soon as possible to highlight our commitment to the decades to come,” wrote Vice-Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna on X.
Meeting with the visit of French president Emmanuel Macron, Trump said that Zelenskiy could go to Washington this week or next to the mineral agreement, which he called “very close”, and suggested that war In Ukraine could end in a few weeks. But he did not develop.
The mineral agreement is at the heart of kyiv’s attempt to gain support from the United States, but officials argued on his wording in the shadow of an extraordinary word war between Trump and Zelenskiy, who declared that the American chief lived in a “bubble of disinformation”.
Zelenskiy refused to sign a previous version while Washington asked for $ 500 billion in natural wealth, protesting that kyiv had received a lot of American aid and that the project did not have the security guarantees.
A source from the Ukrainian government told Reuters that kyiv had awaited American comments on the “final changes” he had sent. The source said that the United States did not like the idea of including the wording of the supply of safety guarantees in the text.
“We see the question of guarantees for talks between the presidents,” said the source.
“Worried” of European foreign affairs ministers
Zelenskiy welcomed a series of European leaders and others at a summit in kyiv to commemorate the beginning of 2022 of the largest European conflict since the Second World War when Moscow invaded Ukraine.
“This year should be the year at the start of a real lasting peace (Russian President Vladimir) Putin will not offer us this peace, and he will not give it to us in exchange for anything. We must win peace With force, wisdom and unity – with our cooperation, “said Zelenskiy.
kyiv visitors included on Monday the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Council Antonio Costa and the leaders of Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Norway, Spain and Sweden.
Leaders of Albania, Great Britain, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, Moldova, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland and Turkey spoke by video connection. There was no sign of American representation.
Ukraine could join the European Union before 2030 if it continues the speed and quality of its reforms, said Von Der Leyen.
European leaders gathered around Zelenskiy in speeches, calling for countries on the continent to intensify support for kyiv, while some have spoken of the urgent need to increase defense spending.
The European authorities have been left flat by Trump’s decisions to speak to the war in Ukraine with Russia, to reject kyiv and Europe, and by the warning of Hisadmination that the United States did not was focused more mainly on Europe’s security.
European foreign ministers said on Monday that the region had entered a new era with an astonishing Trump reversal of the decades of American foreign policy, but that they still hoped that the relationship with Washington could endure.
“It is clear that the statements from (the) United States all worry us,” said Kaja Kallas, the head of the EU foreign policy, after a meeting of the European Union foreign ministers at Brussels.
But she added that Europe and the United States had already developed their differences “and we also expect to do this this time.”
Trump ready to go to Moscow
Rival texts to the United Nations have opposed the United States more to Ukraine and European allies.
The United States has been forced to abstain in a vote from the United Nations General Assembly on a resolution which it drafted to mark the third anniversary of the Russian War in Ukraine after the 193 members’ organization has agreed to modifications proposed by European states.
Speaking to journalists, Trump said he spoke to the group of seven leaders on Macron on Monday, noting that everyone on the call expressed the goal of seeing the Russian war in Ukraine. He said he would be ready to go to Moscow.
In an article on Truth Social after the call, Trump said that he was also in “serious discussions” with Putin on the implementation of the war and “major economic development transactions which will take place between the states- United and Russia “.
Macron, meeting Trump in the Oval Office, said that Europe was ready to provide security guarantees to Ukraine, including peacekeepers, in the event of a ceasefire.
Washington clearly indicated that it would not send the troops as a security guarantee coveted by kyiv if a peace agreement emerges, by placing the burden of the European powers which are likely to fight without our support.
Thousands of Ukrainian citizens have died and more than six million live as refugees abroad since Putin ordered the invasion on land, sea and air.
Military losses have been catastrophic, although they remain closely kept secrets. Western public estimates based on intelligence reports vary considerably, but most say that hundreds of thousands have been killed or injured on each side.
Russia launched 185 drones against Ukraine overnight, but has caused no significant damage, said Ukrainian Air Force. Kyiv said he had struck the Ryazan refinery in Russia, continuing his campaign to degrade the oil infrastructure of his enemy.
