Ukraine’s president says he is open to talks with Russia in Israel, but only if there is a ceasefire.
Ukraine’s Zelensky (left) says he is ready for talks with Putin (right) in Israel.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he is ready for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Israel, but only if there is a ceasefire.
Zelensky said on Saturday he told Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett that he was ready to meet with Putin in Jerusalem. Bennett visited Moscow for a meeting with Putin and spoke repeatedly with Zelensky and the leaders of France and Germany as they sought to help end the war.
Zelensky said Bennett told him about his conversations with Putin, adding that he could not share details. Putin has ignored many of Zelensky’s previous proposals for talks.
Speaking at a news conference, Zelensky said the Russians could take the Ukrainian capital “only if they kill all of us. If that’s their goal, let them come,” he said.
“If they bombard the carpet and erase the historical memory of the whole region, the history of Kievan Russia, the history of Europe, they can enter Kyiv but they will have to be left alone on that land, certainly without us.” “Even if they bring a million Russians here, they cannot occupy Ukraine,” he said.
Zelensky again regretted NATO’s refusal to declare a no-fly zone despite repeated requests to Ukraine. He said Ukraine was exploring ways to purchase air defense assets, but he would not mention any details.