Zelenskyy responded to the U.S. decision to withdraw from the negotiations
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that by the end of this week, the United States may decide whether to return to negotiations on ending the war launched by the aggressor state, the Russian Federation. The head of state is awaiting a concrete response from the U.S. side regarding possible formats and a schedule for future meetings.
The president wrote about this in a Telegram post on May 22. Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the need to intensify diplomatic efforts right now, but noted that U.S. readiness may depend on developments regarding Iran, as America is currently focused on that issue.
At the same time, Ukraine is actively working with European partners to ensure a common position on future tracks. The Ukrainian leader reported that he held a series of important talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer within the framework of the so-called E3 format. According to the president, Ukraine always strives for Europe to be directly involved in the negotiations and for the European voice to be clearly taken into account when determining the paths to achieving a reliable and dignified peace. Following these diplomatic contacts, the leaders agreed to organize a meeting at the level of national security advisors in the near future.
On May 22, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the U.S. is suspending its participation in the trilateral talks on ending the war in Ukraine, as it sees no progress. Washington may resume mediation if it sees any positive developments.
The Office of the President of Ukraine officially stated that the invitation to Kyiv for U.S. President Donald Trump’s special representatives and negotiators remains fully valid. They were supposed to arrive back in April but never managed to do so.
