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3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 2 MARCH 2025 NEWS Ian Borg: Malta ready to offer a space for summit after Trump-Zelensky spat Find out more: UPDATING SKILLS IN EUROPE NextGenerationEU makes us stronger. Together, we are ensuring that Europeans keep up with the skills they need for the jobs of tomorrow. With NextGenerationEU, we are supporting training programmes to improve digital and green skills. MALTA is ready to offer a space for peace talks, Foreign Minister Ian Borg said on Saturday while discussing the White House spat between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelen- sky. Speaking with Andrew Azzopardi on RTK103, Borg said he reached out to US of- ficials so that, if a summit is held between the US, Europe and allies on Ukraine, Malta could serve as a space for talks. "But if you want to offer that space, you can't attack any side," he said. "I'm convinced we should align ourselves – Europe, the US, Canada, and other countries – with the Ukrainian cause, even for ourselves, for our freedom and for European security." In a Facebook post after Borg's interview, Prime Minister Robert Abela reiterated Borg's comments and said Malta is, and will remain, a promoter of peace. "We were among the first to speak out on the need for peace even when there were those who claimed that the emphasis was on winning a war. In war, there are no win- ners; only peace signifies victory. And for a precious victory like peace, no sacrifice is too great." However, both Borg and Abela fell short of declaring any public support for Zelensky after his turbulent meeting with Trump at the White House on Friday. Meanwhile, Opposition leader Bernard Grech joined EU leaders in supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "We stand with Ukraine, unwavering in our support for President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people. Stay strong, stay resilient, stay united," Grech posted on X. Roberta Metsola, Maltese MEP and Pres- ident of the European Parliament, also told Zelensky he will never be alone in this fight. "Your dignity honours the bravery of the Ukrainian people [...] We will contin- ue working with you for a just and lasting peace." Neutral territory Malta has a history of playing host to high- stakes diplomatic meetings, but its latest attempt at fostering peace talks on the Rus- sia-Ukraine war fell flat. Back in October 2023, Malta welcomed a round of negoti- ations on the conflict, yet without Russia's participation, the discussions failed to gain traction. The island nation, however, saw greater success on the world stage in December 1989, when it hosted the historic summit between US President George H.W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev—a meeting widely regarded as a defining mo- ment in ending the Cold War. Zelensky's turbulent meeting with Trump Trump and Zelensky had a public falling out over the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Friday. During a meeting in the White House, Trump reportedly criticised Zelensky for not being sufficiently thankful for U.S. sup- port. He further warned Zelensky that he must either negotiate with Russia or risk losing US backing. US vice president JD Vance, who was also present, accused Zelensky of being "disre- spectful". Zelensky said there could be "no com- promises" with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He highlighted Russia's war crimes, including the deportation of Ukrainian chil- dren.