Kamala Harris outlines her condition for Ukraine peace talks with Putin

Washington DC - Democratic White House hopeful Kamala Harris said in an interview broadcast Monday that if elected president, she would not meet with Vladimir Putin for peace talks if Ukraine were not also represented.

Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has said she will not meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin for peace talks unless Ukraine is also present.
Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has said she will not meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin for peace talks unless Ukraine is also present.  © Collage: REUTERS

"Not bilaterally without Ukraine, no. Ukraine must have a say in the future of Ukraine," the vice president told CBS' 60 Minutes program when asked if she would meet one-on-one with the Russian leader to negotiate an end to the war.

President Joe Biden's administration has previously rejected any talks with Putin.

Harris also reiterated her criticisms of Republican rival Donald Trump's policies on Ukraine, describing them as a "surrender" to the invasion Moscow launched in February 2022.

Democratic lawmakers receive bomb threats on Thanksgiving signed "MAGA"
Politicians Democratic lawmakers receive bomb threats on Thanksgiving signed "MAGA"

Trump has previously been critical of Washington's massive military and financial aid for Ukraine and insisted that he could quickly reach a peace deal with Putin.

"Donald Trump, if he were president, Putin would be sitting in Kyiv right now. He talks about, 'Oh, he can end it on day one.' You know what that is? It's about surrender," she said.

Kyiv fears such a deal would involve ceding to Russia the territory in eastern Ukraine that it has captured since the invasion.

Harris, meanwhile, said she would deal with Ukraine's bid to join the NATO military alliance "if and when it arrives at that point."

Cover photo: Collage: REUTERS

More on Kamala Harris: