Zelensky warns of Moscow seeking to redraw ‘influence’ in Europe

KYIV: Moscow’s push for the “redistribution of influence” in Europe is dangerous and could lead to more wars, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky warned, insisting “war must end first” before any continental security talks. In comments released Saturday, Zelensky also accused Russia’s Vladimir Putin of proposing evacuations in an embattled town as a ploy to push Kyiv’s troops out and open the road for Moscow’s troops to seize more land. US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met with both Putin and Zelensky Thursday following two days of talks in Abu Dhabi, which ended with no breakthrough. Negotiations did, however, lead to agreements that European countries join future talks on ending the war. In Dublin on Friday, Europe chose five countries — France, Germany, Italy, the UK and Poland — that will send representatives to the talks. “The main thing is that Europe will be there,” Zelensky told the media Friday. The comments were embargoed until Saturday. The Kremlin has pushed for a review of the continent’s security structure, rattling the Europeans. In 2021, before its Ukraine invasion, Moscow issued an ultimatum to the West to pull back NATO troops from eastern Europe. “This is dangerous because, in my view, it is precisely things like this that lead to wars or escalations,” Zelensky said.