Quotes
When the US mentions future European participation, it doesn't imply genuine involvement. Once the US and Russia reach a consensus, they can persuade Europe and Ukraine to accept the outcome, addressing some of their security concerns,
Zhang said
These US-Europe differences may reduce the conflict's intensity, but future disagreements still require consultation to resolve."
Zhao saidFor Europe, the conflict is an existential matter, while for Trump, it's a matter of cost-benefit,
he said
We can do it the easy way, or the hard way — and the easy way is always better,
Trump warned in a message addressed directly to Putin on his social media site Truth Social
For the Ukrainians, there’s too much uncertainty now,
an American adviser to Kyiv told POLITICO on condition of anonymityWe have a situation where we haven’t had elections in Ukraine, where we have martial law, essentially martial law in Ukraine, where the leader in Ukraine, I mean, I hate to say it, but he’s down to 4 percent approval rating.”
Their quandary has only been worsened by Trump’s remarks on Tuesday, when he saidTrump and Putin want Zelenskyy out — their alignment is worrisome,
a former Ukrainian minister told POLITICO, who asked to remain anonymous in order to speak freelyIn the worst case scenario, Ukraine will keep fighting. If their defenses crumble, I don't think that the American people want to see those pictures on television and to be held responsible,
Farkas said
Russia wants to do something,
Trump told reporters in Palm Beach, Florida
Russia has won Round One,
U.S. Representative Jake Auchincloss, a Massachusetts Democrat who is a co-chair of the bipartisan House Ukraine caucus, told ReutersJust a practical reality is that there is going to be some discussion of territory and there's going to be discussion of security guarantees,
he saidI was briefed (on the talks). I rate them highly, there is a result,
Putin said at a drone factory in Saint Petersburg
No one is excluding Ukraine,
Putin said in a televised meeting with journalists in Saint Petersburg,
Yes, I have been informed. I rate them highly, there are results,
he was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency on WednesdayIt is impossible to solve many issues, including the Ukrainian crisis, without increasing the level of trust between Russia and the United States,
he saidPutin’s information about a large-scale Russian offensive is a lie,
he saidWe are not imposing anything on anyone. We are ready, I have already said this a hundred times – if they want, please, let these negotiations take place. And we will be ready to return to the table for negotiations,
he said
This isn’t positive for Ukraine. What it does is that they’re bringing Putin out of isolation, and the Russians are happy because the discussion focuses on them,
Zelenskyy said at a news conference on Wednesday, differing with TrumpHe is the first, and so far, in my opinion, the only Western leader who has publicly and loudly said that one of the root causes of the Ukrainian situation was the impudent line of the previous administration to draw Ukraine into NATO.”
Praising Trump, Lavrov said on WednesdayThe Russian-American meeting in Saudi Arabia came as a surprise to us, just as it did to many others. To be honest, I don’t really care. What matters to me is that our partners take time to think about us,
Zelenskyy said on Tuesday during a news conference