The Ukrainian leader has stated he considers the Russian president “an enemy” and believes the feeling is mutual
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has expressed readiness to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin if it is the only option to bring the Ukraine conflict to its end.
He made the remarks during an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, with excerpts published on Tuesday. When asked if he was prepared to meet with the Russian president, Zelensky indicated his willingness to do so.
“If that is the only setup in which we can bring peace to the citizens of Ukraine and not lose people, definitely we will go for this setup, for this meeting,” he said. “What is my attitude to him [Putin]? I will not be kind to him and I… consider him an enemy. And to be honest, I believe he considers me an enemy as well,” he stated.
The remarks appear to reflect an apparent shift in Zelensky’s stance. He had repeatedly refused to negotiate with Putin in the past and even signed a decree explicitly banning any negotiations with Moscow and President Vladimir Putin specifically. Last month, Zelensky claimed the ban applied to all Ukrainian officials except himself, while the original 2022 decree only stated that such negotiations were “impossible” without specifying any individuals or entities prohibited from engaging in them.
Read more
Zelensky lacks legitimacy to sign any deal – Putin
Last week, Putin reiterated Moscow’s position that Zelensky lacks the legitimacy to sign a peace deal, given that his presidential term expired in May 2024 and no constitutional mechanism exists to extend it. However, the Russian president stated that he was willing to send negotiators to talk to Zelensky if the latter was open to discussions.
“It’s possible to negotiate with anyone. However, due to his illegitimacy, [Zelensky] has no right to sign anything. If he wishes to participate in talks, I will deploy people who will conduct such negotiations,” Putin said.
DETAILS TO FOLLOW
+ There are no comments
Add yours