Ukraine: Zelenskyy ready to meet with Putin

Contacts continue to establish a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. New details have emerged regarding the meeting held last week between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya, who was present at the meeting between the two leaders on August 18, said, "Zelenskyy stated very, very clearly that he is ready to sit at the negotiating table and discuss territorial issues with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The starting point for discussions regarding the territorial issue is the current contact line," he said.

"NO INTENTION OF THROWING IN THE TOWEL"

According to a report by the US television channel NBC News, citing an unnamed White House official, US President Donald Trump clearly told Zelenskyy that he should "make a deal that is largely on Russia's terms." According to the source, Trump's statement on Thursday that "Ukraine is entirely in a defensive position and cannot win the conflict with Russia" was a signal. Another source speaking to NBC stated that the Trump administration has no intention of "throwing in the towel" on resolving the conflict and believes that "there is no military solution to this conflict."

"A 20 PERCENT SECTION ON THE UKRAINE MAP WAS SHADED IN PINK"

During the meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on August 18, a map of Ukraine was displayed, and a 20 percent section showing the territory currently controlled by Russian military forces was shaded in pink. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated yesterday that no meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy is planned, but that the Russian leader would be ready for such a meeting if there were an appropriate agenda.