Russia-Ukraine Conflict: 'Can’t Accept Any Meeting With Anyone But Putin,' Says Ukraine's Zelenskyy In Davos
"And only in the case when there is one issue on the (table): stopping the war. There are no other grounds for any other kind of meeting," said Ukrainian Zelenskiy
New Delhi: As Russia-Ukraine conflict enters fourth month with no sign of truce, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that he is strictly looking to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for discussion on ending the war. Zelenskyy strongly stated that the only Russian official he was willing to meet was Putin. Addressing the audience virtually at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Zelenskyy said, arranging any talks with Russia was becoming more difficult in light of what he said was evidence of Russian actions against civilians under occupation, according to the news agency Reuters.
However, Russia has termed the aggression as "special operation" to reduce Ukraine's military capabilities and denied targeting any civilians.
"The president of the Russian Federation decides it all," said Zelenskyy through an interpreter. He added, "If we are talking about ending this war without him personally, that decision cannot be taken."
Referring to the discovery of mass killings in areas occupied by Russian troops earlier in the war, particularly outside Kyiv, has made the situation difficult for mediation, said Zelenskyy who ruled out any discussions with other officials.
"I cannot accept any kind of meeting with anyone coming from the Russian Federation but the President," he said. "And only in the case when there is one issue on the (table): stopping the war. There are no other grounds for any other kind of meeting."
Both sides have have held sporadic talks since Russian forces poured into Ukraine at the end of February. However, the talks have stalled. Zelenskyy told Ukrainian television last week that it was impossible to halt the war without some sort of diplomacy involved.
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