Bilateral format of Russia-US negotiations not to resolve issue of war and peace – Podoliak

Bilateral format of Russia-U.S. negotiations will not resolve the issue of war and peace in general, Ukraine's presence is necessary in one or another negotiation format, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Mykhailo Podoliak said.

"The bilateral Russia-United States format will not resolve the issue of war and peace as a whole. I emphasize once again that the United States may have the right, Trump may have the right to meet with anyone on any topic. But, of course, if we want to reach the finale of this war, the presence of Ukraine is undeniable, the presence of Europe indirectly or synchronized positions, or directly – is also undeniable, because all this concerns, first of all, the European continent," Podoliak said on the air of a national telethon on Monday.

According to him, expectations for the negotiations are "too high."

"In my opinion, we will not get anything substantial. Because there is still an understanding of what the Russian Federation is and what Putin is investing in ending the war," the Presidential Office deputy head said.

However, he added that this is a "revival of certain processes," and Ukraine must take the right negotiating positions, where President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and representatives of Europe, possibly other global powers that have influence over Russia, should be present.

In addition, Podoliak assessed the possibility of Zelenskyy's participation in the negotiations on the 15th in Alaska as "fifty-fifty," since "there is definitely no scenario yet."