Zelensky suggests meeting with Putin, Russia ‘not against’ meeting

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Italian state television RAI on Thursday that he is ready to meet with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. Russia’s response to Zelensky’s statements was not entirely hostile.

Zelensky constant Ukraine and Russia “need to find a deal” without an ultimatum to end Russian aggression.

“We have to think about the future of Russia. As the president of Ukraine, I say that these are our neighbors. “There will be other presidents, other presidents, and other generations,” he said.

Zelensky specifically rejected the idea of ​​giving Russian territory to the insurgent Donbass or recognizing Russia’s invasion of Crimea as a sweetener for a peace treaty with Russia.

“We want the Russian army to leave our lands, we are not on Russian soil. We will not save Putin’s face by paying with our own land. It would be unfair,” he said.

“Crimea has always had its own autonomy, its own parliament, but within Ukraine,” he said of the peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014.

He stressed that “I have never mentioned recognizing the independence of Crimea, we will not recognize it as part of Russia” and added that Kiev will not “recognize autonomy” for the separatists in Donbas.

Zelensky suggested A prisoner exchange that could give Ukraine a chance to rescue its forces trapped in the devastated city of Mariupol.

“We are ready to exchange with the Russians to save lives and get our dead out of Azovstal. “Civilians were evacuated, now the wounded remain, we don’t want to leave them there,” he said. Iron Factory in Mariupol Where the Ukrainian defenders were dug up.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov constant On Friday, Russia did not oppose the meeting between Zelensky and Putin.

“The position has not changed. You know very well the position of the President of Russia: no one will reject the idea of ​​​​such a meeting, but you should be prepared for it, ”said he.

Noting that Zelensky will have to make some concessions, he said, “Preparation for such a meeting can and should be in the form of developing an appropriate document that will eventually be finalized at the summit level.”

“As we said, there is no development yet. Our conditions are known. It was clearly formed on paper and handed over to the Ukrainian side. There is no answer, ”Peksov said.

Russian terms that Peksov mentions To involve There were many things Zelensky gave up on the impossible, including “independence” for the separatist regions that Moscow coveted, and Ukraine’s recognition of Crimea as Russian territory. The Russians are also pressing Ukraine to rewrite its constitution to permanently ban membership in NATO or similar international organisations.

Russia has suffered once again Wonderful beat In Ukraine on Friday, the Ukrainians suffered heavy losses when a pontoon used by the Russians to cross the Seversky Donets River, west of Severodonetsk, destroyed the bridge.

According to the British Ministry of Defense, the Russians defeated at least one tactical group of battalions in the bridge battle. Delivered by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Photograph A destroyed bridge with destroyed skeletons of Russian armored vehicles thrown ashore.

“Crossing rivers in combat is a very dangerous maneuver and shows that Russia’s command must make progress in its operations in eastern Ukraine,” the British Ministry of Defense said.

“Russian troops failed to achieve a significant victory despite the concentration of forces in the region after the removal and redeployment of troops from the Kyiv and Chernihiv areas,” the report said.

Zelensky constant In a speech on Thursday night, he said Russia had suffered a “clear” strategic defeat against Ukraine but “lacked the courage to admit it”.