‘I Will Not Be Kind To Him’: Zelenskyy Open to Direct Talks With ‘Enemy’ Putin – wna24
New Delhi: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed his willingness to hold direct negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring an end to the three-year-long war. However, he clarified that such talks would only happen if they were the only way to achieve peace and prevent further loss of Ukrainian lives.
“If that is the only set-up in which we can bring peace to the citizens of Ukraine and not lose people, definitely we will go for this set-up,” Zelenskyy said in an interview on Tuesday.
He also stressed that any diplomatic engagement must involve the US, European nations, Ukraine, and Russia. “If people believe we must move to the diplomatic track, and I believe we are ready to move to the diplomatic track, there must be the US, Europe, Ukraine, and Russia,” he added.
However, Zelenskyy ruled out any personal cordiality with Putin. “I will not be kind to him. I consider him an enemy. To be honest, I think he considers me an enemy, too,” he said.
The Ukrainian president also provided casualty estimates, revealing that approximately 45,100 Ukrainians had lost their lives in the conflict, with 390,000 wounded. He claimed that Russian losses were significantly higher, estimating 350,000 deaths and between 600,000 to 700,000 injured, with many still missing in action.
Zelenskyy appears to be stepping up his game, recently warning Russia against excluding Ukraine from peace talks, calling it “very dangerous.”
He suggested that US President Donald Trump could pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin into negotiations through the threat of sanctions on Russia’s energy and banking sectors, along with continued military support for Ukraine.
“I think these are the closest and most important steps,” Zelenskyy said during an hour-long interview in Kyiv.
His remarks came after Trump claimed last week that American and Russian officials were “already talking” about ending the war. Trump mentioned having “very serious” discussions with Russia but did not provide details.
“They may have their own relations, but talking about Ukraine without us—it is dangerous for everyone,” Zelenskyy warned.