Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, commenting on the technical negotiation process between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations to end the war, noted that a conversation has now begun on the Russian side, not ultimatums.
"Our diplomats are working and negotiating the details of the agenda that may be between us and the Russian Federation ... You know, from the very beginning there were some ultimatums from the Russian side, we did not go for them. The war was deepening, a quick operation in 3-4 days did not happen ... Now they have already started to talk about something and not throw ultimatums," Zelensky said during a conversation with foreign journalists in Kiev on Saturday.
He also noted that he was "glad for such a signal from the Russian Federation."
"I am glad, in principle, already a signal from the Russian Federation. In the last two years, I have never heard that there could be such a dialogue. I think I have held hundreds of talks with the leaders of other countries. I have given them every opportunity to be negotiators, mediators, mediators, to be someone for a meeting to happen," he said.
Zelensky added that "world leaders should know that thousands of people who died in Ukraine - it happened because the Russian Federation did not confirm the possibility of a meeting even once."
"And this is their responsibility completely," he summarized.
