Now Reading: Donald Trump-Zelenskyy meet: Ukraine fears ‘repetition of a contentious’ encounter in Oval Office – report
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Donald Trump-Zelenskyy meet: Ukraine fears ‘repetition of a contentious’ encounter in Oval Office – report
Donald Trump-Zelenskyy meet: Ukraine fears ‘repetition of a contentious’ encounter in Oval Office – report
Ukraine fears ‘repetition of a contentious’ encounter in Oval Office (Picture credit score: AP)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, with European leaders additionally becoming a member of the talks. As per the Washington Post, the assembly comes amid warnings that it may mirror the “disastrous” Oval Office conflict earlier this yr that noticed relations between Kyiv and Washington plunge.During his final go to to the White House in February, Zelenskyy’s discussions with Trump and Vice President JD Vance ended abruptly after a bitter row. Trump accused him of displaying disrespect and of “gambling with World War III.” The joint press convention was cancelled, Zelenskyy was ushered out, and US army support was briefly frozen. US media described the encounter as “disastrous” and a main diplomatic blow for Ukraine.As per the Washington Post, “Foremost in Ukrainians’ minds is avoiding a repetition of a contentious meeting in the Oval Office”.Nikolay Beleskov, a analysis fellow on the Ukrainian National Institute for Strategic Studies, was quoted as saying by the Washington Post that there was “such risk indeed” of one other tense trade.He stated Zelenskyy should “strike a balance between being non-provocative” whereas nonetheless advancing his calls for in Washington.The stakes are notably excessive as Trump has simply held his first in-person talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the reason that Ukraine warfare escalated in 2022. The Anchorage summit on Friday was labelled “warm” by Trump and “frank” and “substantive” by Putin, in accordance with RT.Following the assembly, Trump prompt that Washington and Moscow had been “pretty close to the end” of the battle and is reportedly contemplating a plan that will require Kyiv to give up remaining elements of Donbass in return for a Russian halt in combating elsewhere, as per RT. Zelenskyy, nevertheless, has repeatedly dominated out making territorial concessions.Moscow continues to demand neutrality, demilitarisation and “denazification” of Ukraine, together with recognition of the territories it annexed, Crimea, Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporozhye. Putin had additionally stated the Alaska talks introduced the US and Russia “closer” to ending hostilities.The February conflict between Trump and Zelenskyy additionally noticed Vance publicly accuse the Ukrainian chief of being “disrespectful” and ungrateful for billions in American support. The assembly ended with out the signing of a minerals settlement that had been central to Zelenskyy’s journey, and Washington quickly minimize off army and intelligence help afterwards.Since then, either side have tried to restore relations. Trump and Zelenskyy held comply with-up conferences in the Vatican in April and on the Nato summit in June, the place a minerals deal was finally signed. Now, with Trump signalling he might present safety ensures to Ukraine, European leaders, amongst them UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, will attend Monday’s discussions to form the framework for peace talks.As per CNN, JD Vance, a key determine in February’s confrontation, may also be current through the Oval Office assembly.
