Zelenskyy wants a strong American reaction if Putin refuses the bilateral meeting

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he wanted a “strong reaction” from the US government if Russian president Vladimir Putin does not sit with him for a bilateral meeting.

This occurs when US President Donald Trump is trying to negotiate a peace agreement between the two countries that have been at war since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 of Moscow, although Trump conceded that Putin may not be ready to conclude an agreement.

Zelenskyy said he had already accepted a meeting proposal with Putin.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he wanted a “strong reaction” from the United States if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not meet him. (Tetiana dzhafarova, pool photo via AP)

“I immediately responded to the proposal for a bilateral meeting: we are ready. But what happens if the Russians are not ready?” Zelenskiy said on Wednesday during a press briefing in Kyiv.

“If the Russians are not ready, we would like to see a strong reaction from the United States,” he added.

Trump met the two leaders separately last week, Zelenskyy visiting the White House with other European leaders earlier this week and the American president meeting Putin in Alaska last week.

Zelenskyy said he had already accepted a meeting proposal with Putin. (Julia Demoree Nikhinson / AP; Christian Bruna / Getty)

The White House said Putin was willing to meet her Ukrainian enemy after a phone call this week with Trump.

“President Trump spoke with President Putin by telephone, and he agreed to start the next phase of the peace process, a meeting between President Putin and President Zelenskyy, who would be followed, if necessary, by a trilateral meeting between President Putin, President Zelensky and President Trump,” the press secretary of the White House, Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday.

The path to peace between the two parties remains uncertain despite the American efforts of diplomacy, because the US government and its allies are trying to develop potential security guarantees for Ukraine.

Trump calls the very good stage of the White House to the Peace of Russia-Ukraine: here is the next step

Trump met Zelenskyy and Putin separately. (Win McNamee / Getty images)

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Zelenskyy said he was not clear what concessions about the territory of Russia were willing to make the conflict. Trump previously said that Kyiv and Moscow should both give way.

“To discuss what Ukraine is ready to do, let’s listen to what Russia is ready to do,” said Zelenskyy. “We don’t know it.”

Reuters contributed to this report.