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Kremlin calls for "forcing" Zelenski to sign peace agreement

The Ukrainian president is strengthening his relationship with European nations to keep up the pressure on Washington and Moscow to reach an agreement as favorable as possible for Ukraine.

European leaders and Zelenski in London

European leaders and Zelenski in LondonAFP

Virginia Martínez
Published by
Virginia Martínez

On Monday, the Kremlin urged parties involved  to "force" Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski to sign a peace deal, and blamed him for the "unprecedented" altercation he had with Donald Trump at the White House.

"Someone must force Zelenski to change his mind. He doesn't want peace. Someone must force him to want peace," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a news conference.

"If the Europeans do it, honor and glory to them," he added, referring to the summit that brought together leaders allied with Kiev in London on Sunday.

Peskov further blamed Zelenski for the "unprecedented" altercation he had with Trump.

"You are gambling with the lives of millions of people. You're gambling with World War III, and what you're doing is a great disrespect to this country," a furious Trump told the Ukrainian leader.

"What happened on Friday at the White House showed how difficult it will be to find a way to reach an agreement in Ukraine," the Kremlin spokesman estimated, according to which "Zelensky demonstrated a total lack of diplomacy."

"In this situation, the efforts of the United States and Moscow's goodwill alone will not be enough" to end the conflict in Ukraine, he noted.

No agreement in Europe

Britain's secretary of state for the armed forces said Monday that Paris and London did not agree on a proposed one-month truce in Ukraine, mentioned Sunday by French President Emmanuel Macron.

"There is no agreement on what a truce would look like, but we are working together, with France and our European allies, to determine the way forward for a lasting peace in Ukraine," Luke Pollard told Times radio.

"There are a number of options on the table, subject to further talks with US and European partners, but there is no agreement on a one-month truce," a British government official said.

Zelenski strengthens ties with Europe

Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski said Monday he will work with Europe to define the conditions he will present to the United States for a possible peace deal with Russia, after meeting in London with his allies who offered to invest more in security and form a coalition to safeguard the possible truce.

Sunday's talks, which brought together 18 allies, came at a sensitive time for Ukraine amid uncertainty over U.S. support in its three-year war with Russia.

Macron told French newspaper Le Figaro on Sunday that France and the United Kingdom proposed a one-month truce in Ukraine "in the air, on the seas and on energy infrastructures."

Shortly before a summit of Kiev's European allies in London on Sunday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that Paris and London were working on "a plan"to stop the fighting between Ukraine and Russia.

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