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February 25, 2025 | 02:42 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - On Monday, February 24, 2025, Ukraine marked three years of all-out war with Russia, hosting a gathering of European leaders. Key figures from the United States government were absent from the event.
During the event, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy welcomed several European and global leaders. "Putin will not gift us this peace, nor will he give it to us in exchange for anything. We have to win peace with strength, wisdom, and unity - with our cooperation," Zelenskiy stated.
The commemoration of the Russian war in Ukraine saw attendance by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, and leaders from Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Norway, Spain, and Sweden.
European leaders used their speeches to urge countries across the continent to increase their support for Ukraine. Discussions also centered on the pressing need to augment defense budgets.
European officials expressed surprise regarding the U.S. administration's decision to pursue negotiations with Russia to end the war in Ukraine, excluding both Ukraine and European allies from the discussions.
On the same day, February 24, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin conveyed that Russia did not object to European involvement in peace negotiations. However, he also pointed out that Brussels had previously declined to engage in dialogue with Moscow.
Putin stated that the U.S. administration approached the Russia-Ukraine conflict with a more rational perspective than with emotional motivation.
Since assuming the presidency, Donald Trump has shown a leaning towards Moscow. He had even characterized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as a dictator. Kyiv has disregarded those remarks, asserting that they are in the final stages of negotiations to grant Washington access to Ukraine's mineral resources.
Following a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House, Trump extended an invitation to Zelenskiy to visit Washington either this week or next, aiming to finalize the mineral resources deal. He also suggested that Kyiv should seek to end the war swiftly, ideally within weeks. He did not give clear instructions on how this end should be achieved.
"Our focus is on achieving a ceasefire as soon as possible, and ultimately a permanent peace," he said, as quoted from Reuters.
Macron, in an interview with Fox News, expressed high confidence that a peace deal with Ukraine could be achieved in the coming weeks. He also suggested that a deal granting the United States access to Ukraine's mineral wealth would serve as a means to ensure Washington's commitment.
However, Trump did not explicitly state that access to Ukraine’s mineral resources would guarantee U.S. security or place Europe at the forefront of Ukraine’s long-term security. Ukrainian government sources reported that the U.S. was not receptive to discussions regarding security guarantees.
Kyiv offered the United States access to their mineral resources in exchange for military support in the war. This deal is now uncertain due to Trump's critical remarks towards Zelenskiy and the response from Kyiv. Zelenskiy has said that Trump lives in a "disinformation bubble".
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