What's happened
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is under pressure from allies to negotiate an end to the war with Russia, especially with Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Recent diplomatic efforts, including a call between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Vladimir Putin, signal a shift towards potential peace talks.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Selcan Hacaoglu from Bloomberg, Zelenskiy stated, "From our side, we must do everything so that this war ends next year, ends through diplomatic means." This sentiment reflects a shift in Ukraine's strategy as it prepares for potential talks. Meanwhile, The Guardian highlights that British MPs are calling for strong support for Ukraine's position, emphasizing that no other country should negotiate away Ukrainian territory. Scholz's recent call with Putin has drawn criticism, with Zelenskiy asserting that Russia deserves isolation, indicating the complexities of the diplomatic landscape.
How we got here
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago, Zelenskiy has maintained a hardline stance. However, with changing political dynamics, including Trump's election, there is increasing pressure for Ukraine to consider negotiations, even if it means territorial concessions.
More on these topics
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Olaf Scholz is a German politician serving as Federal Minister of Finance and Vice Chancellor under Chancellor Angela Merkel since 14 March 2018.
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Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, previously holding the position from 1999 until 2008.
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Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
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Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which borders it to the east and northeast.
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Christian Wolfgang Lindner is a German politician, member of the Bundestag, and leader of the liberal Free Democratic Party of Germany.
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Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central and Western Europe. Covering an area of 357,022 square kilometres, it lies between the Baltic and North seas to the north, and the Alps to the south.
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Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is an American politician who is the 46th and current president of the United States. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 and represented Delaware in the United States Senate
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Dmitry Sergeyevich Peskov is a Russian diplomat, translator and Turkologist. Since 2012, Peskov has been the Press Secretary for the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin.