00:00Dr. Eli, let's start with you. So no dates has been set, but European leaders have stressed the need for a ceasefire deal to happen and continued support.
00:13We've heard so much about security guarantees for Ukraine, haven't we, over the last few days. Why is this such a major sticking point at the moment?
00:23I think we're at a breaking point where we have seen a breakthrough somehow with, for the first time, Putin speaking about peace and the potential bilateral meeting with Zelensky, which has been not on the table for the past years.
00:39Now, the conditions of that meeting will affect the outcome of it, like any negotiations. That's why the Europeans are insisting that Ukraine does not come into that meeting with a weaker hand or with weaker cards or under military pressure.
00:54This is exactly the opposite of what Putin wants. He wants to continue to attack. He wants to continue to increase the military pressure to get Zelensky and Ukraine eventually on the table at their weakest possible so he can achieve the biggest gains.
01:08This is why the Europeans are insisting on a ceasefire while Putin. And now even Trump is saying ceasefire is not an absolute prerequisite before we sit down.
01:17It could be a deal without a ceasefire, as he gave the examples altogether. I think all of it is at play.
01:23We have moved a significant step forward, but still there's a lot to be discussed from details on the map of where are the soldiers going to be, what kind of rules of engagement are there,
01:34to the big strategic issue, what kind of security guarantees, to now we're hearing again, okay, Ukraine will not join NATO, but can they join the EU and all of this?
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