Ukraine says Russia aims to exclude US from peace talks, while Kyiv wants Trump’s involvement

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Russia of deliberately trying to push the United States out of peace negotiations.

Speaking to journalists in Kyiv on 23 May, Sybiha argued that Moscow’s strategy centers on ensuring American withdrawal from the negotiation process, according to Interfax Ukraine.

The foreign minister emphasized Ukraine’s position that US involvement remains essential for any viable peace framework.

“I don’t believe in any security infrastructure in Europe without the USA. We need US involvement,” Sybiha stated, adding that Ukraine welcomes both general US peace efforts and those specifically by President Trump.

Sybiha referenced previous negotiations that took place in Türkiye on 16 May, stating that clear agreements had been reached during those talks. Two key points emerged from the Turkish meeting: prisoner exchanges, which he said have now begun, and an exchange of visions regarding future ceasefire arrangements.

Russia and Ukraine agreed to the largest-ever prisoner swap since the start of the full-scale war, exchanging hundreds of captives in a rare sign of cooperation.

However, peace talks in Istanbul have stalled due to what Ukrainian officials describe as “outrageous” demands from Russian President Vladimir Putin, including Ukraine ceding four occupied regions, accepting permanent restrictions on its military, and abandoning its NATO aspirations. 

The foreign minister also said Ukraine would welcome Trump’s participation in potential talks between Presidents Zelenskyy and Putin, while consistently maintaining that “Europe must be at the table of possible future negotiations,” according to Ukrinform.

Following a two-hour call with Putin, Trump privately acknowledged to European leaders that Russian president is not ready to end the war in Ukraine, as he believes he is winning. Despite this, Trump reversed his earlier support for new sanctions against Russia, instead proposing lower-level peace talks between Ukraine and Russia at the Vatican. 

Regarding venue options, Sybiha confirmed that the Vatican remains under consideration as a potential meeting location, despite Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s dismissal of this scenario as unrealistic.