16 July 2024, Tuesday, 10:40 533

U.S. Department of State comments on Ukraine's idea of russia's participation in 2nd peace summit

Editor: Roman Vaniyan

Читати українською

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Washington will support Kyiv's decision regarding russia's participation in the second peace summit if the Ukrainian side initiates the invitation of representatives of the aggressor country.

This was stated by the spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, Matthew Miller, during a briefing in Washington.

A U.S. official responded to reporters' questions about whether U.S. officials had encouraged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his visit to the United States to hold a potential second peace summit with russia.

"That's what we've discussed with them. But as we've said before, any decisions about diplomatic negotiations are decisions that should be made by Ukraine, not by the United States, not by any other non-party country of the conflict," said the representative of the State Department.

He added that Ukraine, which is a victim of large-scale military aggression by the russian federation, "decides itself when, how and in what form to start diplomatic negotiations."

According to Miller, the U.S. authorities, as a partner and provider of aid to Ukraine "will support them if they choose this path."

"We've always made it clear. And I note - and this is about how the Kremlin responded, at least initially, to those statements from Ukraine - we've always supported diplomacy when Ukraine is ready, but it's never been clear that the Kremlin is ready for real diplomacy," the representative of the U.S. Department of State noted.

He added that the United States will continue to support Ukraine, and "if and when they consider further diplomatic steps with russia appropriate, we will support them in this decision."

"We have always believed that decisions regarding diplomacy around this conflict should be made by Ukraine, where Ukraine is "at the wheel". And therefore, when they - if they want to invite russia to that summit, of course, we support it," the official said.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, on June 17, the advisor to the head of the Presidential Office, Mykhailo Podoliak, said that the aggressor country, russia, may be invited to the second Peace Summit.

On June 21, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Ihor Zhovkva said that Ukraine wants to hold the second Peace Summit by the end of this year.

Ukraine has already started preparations for the second Peace Summit, to which russia may be invited.