Talks with Russia possible on Ukraine's terms, says Zelenskyy
The HinduUkraine’s president has hinted at the possibility of peace talks with Russia, a shift from his earlier refusal to negotiate with President Vladimir Putin that came on the eve of crucial elections in the United States. Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the international community late Monday to “force Russia into real peace talks" and listed his usual conditions for dialogue: the return of all of Ukraine's occupied lands, compensation for damage caused by the war and the prosecution of war crimes. Mr. Zelenskyy said Monday that Kyiv has “repeatedly proposed and to which we always received crazy Russian responses with new terrorist attacks, shelling or blackmail.” But he has more recently refused to negotiate with Mr. Putin — itself a change in tactic after he repeatedly called for a personal meeting with the Russian leader. compensation for all war damage, punishment for every war criminal and guarantees that it will not happen again.” Russia, meanwhile, resumed calls for talks after Ukraine’s successful counteroffensive in the east and the south of the country began in September, but Ukraine has been rejecting the possibility ever since. Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Andrei Rudenko, stressed on Tuesday that Moscow is not setting any conditions for the resumption of talks with Ukraine and accused Kyiv of lacking “good will.” “This is their choice, we have always declared our readiness for such negotiations,” Mr. Rudenko said.