A high-ranking Ukrainian source suggested that a bilateral meeting could take place this September between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his US counterpart Donald Trump, as the latter’s special envoys continue their shuttle diplomacy efforts in an attempt to find mutually acceptable solutions to advance diplomacy between Kyiv and Moscow. Anatolii Petrenko, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, told Asharq Al-Awsat: “We remain in constant contact with the US negotiating team. We are coordinating further steps and preparing next communications.” “Ukraine’s peace proposals remain constructive. We must continue working actively and jointly with the US and our European partners to keep diplomacy moving forward,” he added. “We thank President Donald Trump for his personal engagement and efforts to bring an end to this war,” he stressed. “We believe that the best format moving forward would be a meeting between leaders - President Zelenskyy and Putin - with the possible involvement of President Trump, because the most sensitive issues can only be resolved at the level of leaders,” said the ambassador. “Such a meeting can take place in any neutral location suitable for both sides. For Ukraine any country except Russia and Belarus is doable. The Ukrainian side is ready for such a meeting without preconditions,” he went on to say. Anatolii Petrenko, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. (Ukrainian Embassy in Saudi Arabia) “We are grateful to the United States for the assistance provided and look to continued support for Ukraine’s energy sector and the strengthening of Ukraine’s air and missile defense ahead of a difficult winter amid Russia’s aggression,” Petrenko said. Moreover, he stated that the Ukrainian-American talks covered all issues on peace efforts and the bilateral agenda, including renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war, security guarantees, prosperity plan, and winter package. “Such a substantial meeting can already be viewed as a success. It allowed us to work through many details on a really broad agenda,” he added. “There were three rounds of substantial talks, including with the participation of representatives of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Ukraine welcomes the participation of European representatives, which demonstrates unity and solidarity with Ukraine,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat. Ukraine also appreciates Saudi Arabia’s “steadfast support for our state’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, as well as the humanitarian assistance generously extended to our nation.” “The principled and balanced position of Saudi Arabia in accordance with international law allows it to play an effective and constructive mediation role to comprehensively advance the efforts aimed at reaching long lasting and just peace,” Petrenko noted. “We believe that the pace and spirit of bilateral interaction development between Ukraine and Saudi Arabia demonstrates a gradual transformation into the projected framework of political, economic and security cooperation with the initial outlines of a strategic partnership,” he said. “The momentum we have built will allow us to sustain the upward dynamics and convert the accumulated political capital into joint projects and long-term mechanisms of mutually beneficial cooperation,” he added.
