Many locations are being considered for the planned meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday at the daily press briefing.
Responding to reports that the White House is proposing Budapest as the venue for a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, Russia and the U.S., the spokesperson said that she could “neither confirm nor deny any location.”
Karoline Leavitt also stated that U.S. national security officials were “discussing many options” with representatives of both sides, Ukraine and Russia.
#Helsinki: Vladimir Putin’s meeting with Donald Trump https://t.co/59EAId0h2P pic.twitter.com/GonICs0bvU
— President of Russia (@KremlinRussia_E) July 16, 2018
In response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s alleged proposal that Moscow could also host a high-level meeting, the White House press secretary said she would not “divulge” the contents of the private conversation between President Trump and President Putin beyond what the U.S. president himself had reported.
Among the U.S. media, CBS reported on Tuesday, citing White House sources, that the U.S. presidential office would like the Hungarian capital to be the venue for a possible Russian-Ukrainian-American presidential meeting, and that the service responsible for the president’s security is already working on the preparations.
Karoline Leavitt noted that the bilateral Russian-Ukrainian summit was put on the agenda after both leaders expressed their willingness to do so, and that U.S. national security officials are involved in the preparations.
Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, stated that Hungary would be happy to provide a venue for peace talks in Ukraine if necessary, as it is the only country in Europe that is able to engage in dialogue based on mutual respect with the leaders of both the United States and Russia.
“If we are needed, we are available. If necessary, we are here at any time and will ensure appropriate, fair and safe conditions for such peace talks. We are happy to contribute to the success of peace efforts,” he emphasized.
However, the minister called the Bloomberg article, which claimed that Donald Trump had discussed Ukraine’s EU accession with Viktor Orbán on the phone, fake news. He said:
Not only was the topic not discussed, but the phone call itself did not take place.”
FM Szijjártó called the US-Russian summit in Alaska the most promising event of the past three and a half years, which he said significantly reduced the risk of a world war. At the same time, he warned that “European warmongering politicians” could once again jeopardize the peace process.
Speaking about Ukraine’s EU membership, he stated that the EU is not a military alliance, so their accession would not provide a security guarantee, but would instead place a “practically unbearable burden” on the community.
Via MTI, Politico; Featured photo: Facebook/Péter Szijjártó
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