Berliner Tageblatt - 'Whole world' wants Russia at next peace summit: Zelensky

Leaders and top officials from more than 90 countries gathered at the Swiss resort of Burgenstock in June for a first peace summit, which Russia derided as a waste of time.

But Zelensky has recently indicated that Moscow should be represented at the second summit tentatively planned for this year, a change of approach after Kyiv explicitly excluded Moscow from the first high-level meeting.

"The majority of the world today says that Russia must be represented at the second summit, otherwise we will not achieve meaningful results," Zelensky said.

"Since the whole world wants them to be at the table, we cannot be against it," he told AFP and other French media during an interview Tuesday in western Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is open to negotiations, but he would only order a ceasefire if Kyiv effectively surrendered territory that Moscow claims as its own.

Zelensky also said he did not want China, which recently hosted Ukraine's foreign minister for talks and is a close ally to Moscow, to mediate peace efforts. He urged urged Beijing to pressure Moscow into ending the war.

"If China wants, it can force Russia to stop this war. China is an integral part of this world and an influential state," he said.

"I would like them not to be in a mediating role. I would like them to put pressure on Russia," the Ukrainian leader added.

In the wide-ranging interview, Zelensky also said Russian forces had made gains in eastern Ukraine because Kyiv's allies are restricting its use of Western-supplied weapons and its forces are still awaiting arms deliveries from abroad.

"It's a serious challenge that we can't use all the weapons we need to stop this enemy," he said, adding that Ukraine was awaiting fresh weapons to equip reserve brigades.

"If you use the weapons of our partners, then they can say that we won't not give you any more help, that's the risk," he said.

Zelensky said Kyiv was "working very hard" to get permission to strike targets deep inside Russian territory with Western-supplied weapons.

"Unfortunately, our partners are still afraid of this," he added.

"We no longer keep it a secret that we were preparing 14 brigades. Do you think it is possible to stop them if only three out of 14 are equipped?" he added, explaining how Russia had been able to capture a string of villages in the eastern Donetsk region over recent months.

I.Meyer--BTB