– We must have strong safety guarantees for the protection of both Ukraine and Europe, as well as their fundamental safety interests," stressed European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen at a conference with Volodymyr Zelenski on Sunday.
Conference of the Head of the EC and president Zelenski
– Ukraine must keep its territorial sovereignty and integrity. There must besides be no restrictions on the armed forces of Ukraine – the head of the EC believes.
The president of Ukraine added that "we request real negotiations", which should take place "only under ceasefire conditions".
Volodymyr Zelenski besides made clear his position on further actions towards Russia. He stressed that Ukraine would not retreat from Donetsk, regardless of external pressure.
He besides pointed out that Europe's unity remains crucial in the face of the ongoing war. “The war must end quickly,” he added, calling for increased diplomatic efforts. Zelenski besides warned that if Vladimir Putin refused to participate in the planned gathering with Donald Trump and the president of Ukraine, it would be essential to impose fresh sanctions on Russia.
China as a safety guarantor for Ukraine
On August 15, during a gathering in Alaska with US president Donald Trump, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin did not argue the thought of granting Ukraine a safety guarantee. As the sources of the Axios portal reported on Sunday, the Russian expressed his willingness to discuss the substance and was to propose China as 1 of the possible guarantors.
According to the publication, Putin's indication of Beijing may mean that the Kremlin will argue the creation of safety structures in which NATO soldiers would participate. For Moscow, the Alliance's commitment to the safety of Ukraine has been 1 of the key points in dispute for years.
Meanwhile, Kiev, together with European partners, continues discussions on the creation of the alleged "candid coalition" – a group of countries willing to jointly warrant Ukraine protection against future aggression from Russia.
Importantly, it is possible that thanks to talks between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska, we are close to the end of the Russian war in Ukraine. The president of the United States wants this to happen thanks to trilateral talks on the Ukraine-US-Russia line. Volodymyr Zelenski agreed to this version, which will appear in the White home on Monday (18 August). However, experts from Russia stay skeptical about this issue.
