Russian Invasion Of Ukraine: Who Says What

The past few days have seen a dramatic altercation between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a gathering where European leaders voiced their support for Kyiv.

Here is where the different sides stand on how to put an end to the Russian invasion of Ukraine:

- Ukraine -

Ukraine insists it cannot lay down weapons without strong assurances from allies -- both in Europe and the United States -- in case Moscow decides to attack again.

"The main point is -- for peace to be real, real security guarantees are needed," Zelensky said in an address overnight.

"A ceasefire is not enough," he told reporters in Britain after Sunday's talks with allies.

Ukraine was hoping to pave the way for US guarantees in a deal on the extraction of critical minerals that fell through after the clash with Trump.

Kyiv is still ready to sign the deal, Zelensky said.

The shape of security guarantees are being debated, but Zelensky has pushed for foreign peacekeepers in Ukraine, as well as maritime and air defence support.

The Ukrainian leader reiterated on Sunday that Ukraine would never recognise Russia's claim over the Ukrainian territories that Moscow's troops have captured.

- The United States -

US President Donald Trump has said he wants a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine but has declined to provide security guarantees to ensure it is respected, and has ruled out the prospect of NATO membership for Ukraine.

Trump has however been pushing for Ukraine to pay back aid that had been given to Kyiv as donations.

He also seemed poised to sign a deal that would give the US preferential access to vast amount of Ukrainian mineral resources -- until the altercation with Zelensky.

Since the shouting match, top Washington officials have suggested Zelensky might have to step down if a peace deal is to be reached.

- Europe -

European leaders closed ranks Sunday in support of Kyiv at a London summit, where they pledged to spend more on security and assemble a coalition to defend any truce in Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron said he and UK leader Keir Starmer were working on a one-month truce in Ukraine, "in the air, at sea and on energy infrastructure".

Starmer and Macron have said they are prepared to deploy British and French troops to Ukraine together with other countries to help preserve any truce.

Several leaders advocated for Europe to rearm, with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen warning the continent urgently had to "prepare for the worst".

- Russia -

Russia is demanding that Ukraine cede Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, four Ukrainian regions that it claims to have annexed despite not fully controlling them.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said the status of those territories, as well as Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, is "non-negotiable".

Moscow considers the Kyiv government as illegitimate and demands that Ukraine renounce any future NATO membership, which it perceives as an existential threat.

It has also said it opposes the prospect of European peacekeeping troops being sent to Ukraine.

Since the spectacular rapprochement initiated by the Trump administration, the Kremlin has been simultaneously advocating a normalisation of its relations with Washington, including a lifting of US sanctions against Russia.

- What now? -

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that Britain, France "and others" would work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting, which they would then put to Washington.

Specifics are likely to come out in the next days, and there will be discussions at a special European summit devoted to Ukraine has also been called for March 6.

Meanwhile, Moscow and Washington are continuing to ease relations.

After Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin last month, a first high-level meeting between the two countries since the start of the invasion was held in Saudi Arabia.

More talks between US and Russian officials were held in Istanbul and preparations are under way for a summit between Trump and Putin.
-AFP