The decision to ban negotiations with Vladimir Putin, taken in Ukraine in the fall of 2022, was justified by the need to stop separatism in the country, Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press conference with Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Meduza reported.
According to Zelensky, when Russian troops were near Kiev, there were “many negotiation processes, many shady political corridors“. He explained that he decided to ban negotiations with the Russian president because Vladimir Putin "very quickly began to build a large number of different channels together with the separatists, with representatives of other countries" to influence Ukraine and its independence.
"I simply stopped separatism in our country by banning everyone, any political figures in Ukraine from conducting any negotiations with the Russian side, with Putin's supporters, throughout the war. I made an absolutely fair decision", Zelensky said. According to him, "Putin does not like this, because he had many channels".
Ukrainian President Zelensky hopes that Europe and the United States will participate in possible negotiations to end the war with Russia, Reuters reported, referring to his statement to journalists earlier yesterday, BTA reported. At a joint press conference with Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Zelensky said that Ukraine should also participate in the talks to end the war for them to have any significant impact.
"As for how the negotiations will be organized: Ukraine, I really hope that Ukraine will participate, America, Europe and the Russians", Zelensky said, shortly after clarifying that no framework has yet been established. "Yes, I would really like Europe to participate, because we will be members of the European Union", the Ukrainian president stressed.
Zelensky clarified that he believes that the new US President Donald Trump can end the war, but that he will be able to do so only if he includes Ukraine in the negotiations. "He can do this only with Ukraine, otherwise it will not work. Because Russia does not want to end the war, while Ukraine wants to,", he added.