Ukrainian official reveals potential sites for trilateral summit with Putin, Trump

Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, has named several potential venues for a future high-level summit involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and US President Donald Trump. The suggested locations include the Vatican, Geneva, Istanbul, and Saudi Arabia, while Budapest, although discussed, is not considered a preferred option.

In an interview with Corriere della Sera, Yermak clarified that preliminary talks are expected to occur between Presidents Zelenskyy and Putin, followed by a trilateral summit with Trump.

"We don’t know yet where this will happen. Several locations are on the list: Geneva, Istanbul, the Vatican, Saudi Arabia. Budapest has been mentioned, of course, in reference to the unfulfilled 1994 agreement, but it is not a preferred location," Yermak stated, adding that Moscow is not being considered as a venue.

Yermak expressed hope that China will eventually join the negotiation process, despite not currently being involved.

"At the moment, Beijing is not involved in the preparation of negotiations, but I hope that will happen soon," he noted.

Addressing one of the most sensitive topics in any future negotiations, Yermak stated that discussions regarding territorial matters will be reserved exclusively for the leaders themselves.

"Negotiations should be grounded in the existing line of contact, taking into full consideration the current realities, which will form the basis of our discussions," Yermak said, emphasizing that Ukraine will not relinquish any of its territories.

While acknowledging the significance of European military assistance, Yermak underlined that US military support remains vital to Ukraine's defence capabilities and long-term security.

By Vafa Guliyeva