Zelensky says willing to hold direct talks with Putin to end war
3 Min Read
The Ukrainian president said if this brings peace, direct talks with Putin could be on the table.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at a subway news conference in Kiev, on April 23, 2022. (AP)
Ukraine is ready to hold direct talks with Russia to end almost 3 years of fighting, Ukrainian President Zelensky disclosed in an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan posted on YouTube on Tuesday.
This development has been in anticipation since Donald Trump took office in January, with ending the war in Ukraine being a key point of Trump's presidential campaign.
Morgan asked Zelensky how he would feel if he sat and negotiated with Putin.
"If that is the only set-up in which we can bring peace to the citizens of Ukraine and not lose people, definitely we will go for this set-up," the Ukrainian leader responded.
He added that there will be four participants, without specifying them, but Morgan earlier spoke of hypothetical talks between Russia, Ukraine, the EU, and the US.
"I will not be kind to him, I consider him an enemy. To be honest, I think he considers me an enemy, too," the Ukrainian leader said.
Meanwhile, while Putin earlier expressed Russia's willingness to engage in talks with Ukraine, he ruled out direct talks with Zelensky.
"If Zelensky wants to participate in the negotiations, I will allocate people to take part." Putin said, however, he questioned the Ukrainian leader’s legitimacy, pointing to the expiration of Zelensky’s presidential term under martial law.
The Russian leader also emphasized that the war would end within two months if Western nations stopped providing financial and military support to Kiev, which Zelensky said was insufficient. "Regrettably, the support that is provided by our partners is insufficient to push Putin fully out of our territories," he said.
Situation on the field
Russian forces took over 4,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian land by the end of 2024, putting more pressure on Ukraine.
Despite Joe Biden's increasing military aid to Ukraine, their forces were unable to push back Russia's offensives.
Most notably, Russia's takeover of Pokrovsk provides it with an immense advantage. The key logistical site enables strikes in numerous directions to the east.
In the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), Russian forces recently gained control of Velikaya Novosyolka and the settlement of Zelenoe.
Zelensky previously admitted that Ukraine is unlikely to take back the areas Russia took over during the war.
