MOSCOW: Russia has dismissed European diplomatic consultations with Ukraine as “insignificant” ahead of a crucial summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russian foreign ministry deputy spokesman Alexey Fadeev stated, “We consider the consultations sought by the Europeans to be politically and practically insignificant.”
He accused the European Union of undermining diplomatic efforts, saying, “The Europeans verbally support the diplomatic efforts of Washington and Moscow to resolve the crisis around Ukraine, but in fact the European Union is sabotaging them.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders held urgent talks with Trump on Wednesday, aiming to secure US backing for Kyiv’s interests before the Alaska summit.
The planned summit between Trump and Putin will proceed without Zelensky, raising concerns that Ukraine may face pressure to make territorial concessions.
Zelensky has demanded a full ceasefire, which Russia has rejected, stating, “Pressure must be exerted on Russia for the sake of a fair peace.”
EU leaders reaffirmed Ukraine’s sovereignty, declaring, “The inherent right of Ukraine to choose its own destiny” and that “international borders must not be changed by force.”
Fadeev dismissed EU statements, calling them “just another attempt to stall the settlement process.”
He warned, “We will monitor the actions of European countries in connection with the upcoming summit and hope that no steps will be taken that would prevent it from taking place and reaching constructive agreements.” – AFP