Andriy Yermak, head of the administration of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, named the Vatican, Geneva, Istanbul and Saudi Arabia as possible venues for a meeting between Russian and US Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. According to him, Budapest, which has also been much talked about in recent days, is not among the favorites.
In an interview with the newspaper Corriere della Sera, Yermak emphasized that first, talks between Putin and Zelenskyy are planned, and then a trilateral summit with Trump.
“We don’t know yet where exactly it will take place. The list includes different places: Geneva, Istanbul, Vatican, Saudi Arabia. “Budapest was certainly mentioned in the context of the unfulfilled 1994 agreement, but this place is not preferable,” he said, adding that Moscow was not discussed as a meeting place.
Yermak also expressed hope that China could be involved in the settlement process. “Beijing is not currently involved in the preparation of the negotiations, but I hope that this will happen in the near future,” he noted.
According to Yermak, the issue of territories will only be discussed by the leaders. He acknowledged that Ukrainian troops are unable to regain the lost territories.
“We need to negotiate based on the current line of contact, we take into account the current realities and will discuss this,” Zelensky’s chief of staff said, reiterating that Ukraine does not intend to give up its territories.