American proposal for a trilateral meeting between the US, Russia and Ukraine; Zelenskyy calls on the US to increase pressure on Russia

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said on Saturday, December 20, that the US proposed a trilateral meeting between the US, Ukraine, and Russia in Miami, which would be the first face-to-face meeting between the two sides in nearly six months. The related consultations aim to push for the end of the four-year Russia-Ukraine war. Zelenskyy called on the US to increase pressure on Russia.

According to AFP, Zelenskyy said that officials from the US, Russia, Ukraine, and European countries have gathered in Miami, preparing for a new round of diplomatic consultations. According to the schedule, the US has already held consultations with Ukrainian and European officials, and held talks with Russian representatives on Saturday.

Zelenskyy told the media, "As far as I understand, the form of negotiation proposed by the US is a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the US, and Russia," and he added that European representatives may also participate in the meeting. He said that after assessing the possible achievements of previous meetings, it is logical to include the European side in a joint conference.

Emphasizing the key role of the US

Zelenskyy also made a clear statement regarding the role of the US in the negotiations. He said that only the US has enough influence to force Russia to stop the war.

Zelenskyy said, "If diplomatic means fail, the US should apply full pressure," and the measures may include providing more weapons to Ukraine and expanding sanctions to the entire Russian economy.

Zelenskyy stated directly that Russian President Putin "has not yet felt enough pressure," and emphasized that "we should not look for alternatives to the US."

Refusing Russian interference in Ukrainian elections

Regarding Putin's recent hint that if Ukraine holds presidential elections, Russia might suspend its strikes on its deep areas, Zelenskyy gave a clear rebuttal. He said that when and how Ukraine holds elections "is not decided by Putin," and reiterated that holding votes on occupied Ukrainian territory is "not feasible."

US, Ukraine, and EU trilateral meeting

On the US side, Witkow and Kushner met with Ukrainian negotiators Umerov and representatives from France, the UK, and Germany near Miami on Friday. The direct participation of European countries in the negotiations represents a new development compared to previous weeks' US-Ukraine bilateral meetings in Geneva, Miami, and Berlin.

US Secretary of State Rubio said on Friday that no agreement will be imposed on Ukraine. "We cannot force Ukraine to reach an agreement, nor can we force Russia to reach an agreement; it must be voluntary on both sides."

Zelenskyy also mentioned that Ukraine and the US have made "progress" on a ceasefire plan proposed by the US over a month ago. The plan was initially considered to favor the Kremlin significantly, but it has been revised after consultations with Ukraine. The details of the new version have not been made public, but Zelenskyy revealed that the plan involves Ukraine making territorial concessions in exchange for Western security guarantees.

Russian military attacks continue

While diplomatic efforts continue, the Russian military continues to intensify its military operations. Ukrainian authorities reported that Russia attacked the southern Odessa area and its surrounding regions on Saturday, causing a severe fire at the country's largest vegetable oil terminal, resulting in the death of one employee.

Footage obtained by AFP shows firefighters fighting the flames and thick smoke, with large oil storage tanks being devoured by fire.

The Ukrainian side said that Russia has increased bombing in the Black Sea coastal areas, and tens of thousands of residents remain without electricity. Zelenskyy said that Russia is trying to again restrict Ukraine's access to the sea, block coastal areas.

On Friday night, a ballistic missile struck near Odessa, killing at least 8 people. Russia announced on the same day that it had captured two villages in Sumy and Donetsk regions. Ukraine, meanwhile, claimed to have destroyed two Russian fighter jets at an airport on the occupied Crimean Peninsula.

Source: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1852074597662856/

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