Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, April 24. US President Donald Trump criticized Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on the 23rd, saying that the latter rejected the US proposal on the Crimea issue to delay the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. The US reiterated that if the Russian-Ukrainian peace negotiations cannot make clear progress in the short term, it will withdraw from mediation.

  Zelensky said on the same day that Ukraine is ready to carry out any form of negotiation to promote a ceasefire and create conditions for reaching a comprehensive peace agreement.

  This is the subway bridge and the Dnieper River photographed on November 21, 2024 in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Dongxu

  U.S. rebukes Ukraine for delaying

  According to US media reports, the US proposed a ceasefire agreement framework at Ukraine talks held in Paris, the French capital, last week, including Crimea. Zelensky emphasized on the 22nd that "there is nothing to talk about" about this.

  Trump responded on the 23rd that Zelensky's remarks are "extremely unfavorable" to the negotiations and will only prolong the conflict. He said in an interview later that day that dealing with Zelensky was "much more difficult" than dealing with Russia.

  U.S. and Ukrainian leaders broke into quarrels at the White House at the end of February, which was another disagreement between Trump and Zelensky. White House press secretary Caroline Levitt told media reporters that Trump was "frustrated" at the pace of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and Zelensky "seems to be moving in the wrong direction."

  US Vice President James Vance said on the 23rd that the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have entered a critical moment. The United States has issued a "very clear proposal" to both Russia and Ukraine. Now it is their turn to make a choice, "either they say 'yes' or the United States withdraws from this (mandatory) process."

  The US has been constantly expressing its intention to "withdraw from mediation." Representatives of Ukraine, the United Kingdom, France and the United States held talks in London, the British capital on the 23rd to discuss issues such as the ceasefire in Russia and Ukraine. In Zelensky's statement the day before, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceled the meeting plan on the grounds of "a busy schedule" and instead participated by Keith Kellogg, the U.S. Special Envoy for Ukrainian Affairs.

  The statements of multiple parties are still different

  Zelensky said on the 23rd that Ukraine is ready to carry out any form of negotiations to promote a ceasefire and create conditions for reaching a comprehensive peace agreement. He said on social media that Ukraine "stands for an immediate, comprehensive and unconditional ceasefire."

  According to the Associated Press, Ukraine and some Western European countries accused Russia of delaying its peace proposal. Western analysts say that Russia has an advantage in the battlefield and is therefore not in a hurry to complete the peace negotiations.

  Analysts said that after Trump took office as US president in January this year, the United States changed its stance on Ukraine from its own interests, while Europe seeks to occupy a "leadership" position in the Ukraine issue, and there are obvious differences between the United States and Europe.

  A spokesman for the British Foreign Ministry said in a statement on the 23rd that the Ukrainian talks held in London made "significant progress", but did not explain the content of the substantive results. The French Presidential Palace told the media on the same day that during the resolution of the Ukrainian crisis, Ukrainian territorial integrity is a "strong demand" of Europe.

  Russian President's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that according to the information that Russia has, the participants in the London talks on Ukraine still cannot coordinate their positions on "certain issues". Russia is still in consultation with U.S. officials.

  U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East, Steven Witkov, is scheduled to visit Russia later this week to hold a new round of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the issue of Ukraine. Previously, Witkov had held three talks with Putin. (Li Fuyu)

[Editor in charge: Qiu Lifang]