Quotes
When the US mentions future European participation, it doesn't imply genuine involvement. Once the US and Russia reach a consensus, they can persuade Europe and Ukraine to accept the outcome, addressing some of their security concerns,
Zhang said
These US-Europe differences may reduce the conflict's intensity, but future disagreements still require consultation to resolve."
Zhao saidToday I heard, 'Oh, well, we weren't invited.' Well, you've been there for three years. You should have never started it. You could have made a deal."
Trump rebuked Kyiv's complaints, statingFor Europe, the conflict is an existential matter, while for Trump, it's a matter of cost-benefit,
he saidHe is well connected with the Saudis; he is one of them,
Fedorov said
His main role, his main task, is what Putin assigned him: to get the Americans to lift sanctions pressure. That’s his job,
Russia’s former deputy foreign minister, told NBC NewsWe had a reach-out from someone who is a go-between between the Russian government and the American government and I presented it,
Witkoff told Fox News a few days after they touched down on U.S. soil
We can do it the easy way, or the hard way — and the easy way is always better,
Trump warned in a message addressed directly to Putin on his social media site Truth Social
For the Ukrainians, there’s too much uncertainty now,
an American adviser to Kyiv told POLITICO on condition of anonymityWe have a situation where we haven’t had elections in Ukraine, where we have martial law, essentially martial law in Ukraine, where the leader in Ukraine, I mean, I hate to say it, but he’s down to 4 percent approval rating.”
Their quandary has only been worsened by Trump’s remarks on Tuesday, when he saidTrump and Putin want Zelenskyy out — their alignment is worrisome,
a former Ukrainian minister told POLITICO, who asked to remain anonymous in order to speak freelyNo one is excluding Ukraine,
Putin said in a televised meeting with journalists in Saint Petersburg,
Yes, I have been informed. I rate them highly, there are results,
he was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency on WednesdayWe are not imposing anything on anyone. We are ready, I have already said this a hundred times – if they want, please, let these negotiations take place. And we will be ready to return to the table for negotiations,
he saidPutin’s information about a large-scale Russian offensive is a lie,
he saidHe is the first, and so far, in my opinion, the only Western leader who has publicly and loudly said that one of the root causes of the Ukrainian situation was the impudent line of the previous administration to draw Ukraine into NATO.”
Praising Trump, Lavrov said on Wednesday
This isn’t positive for Ukraine. What it does is that they’re bringing Putin out of isolation, and the Russians are happy because the discussion focuses on them,
Zelenskyy said at a news conference on Wednesday, differing with Trump
We understand the need for security guarantees”.
Trump’s envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, who arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday, saidThe Russian-American meeting in Saudi Arabia came as a surprise to us, just as it did to many others. To be honest, I don’t really care. What matters to me is that our partners take time to think about us,
Zelenskyy said on Tuesday during a news conferenceRussia wants to do something,
Trump said in Florida