Ukraine's Zelensky says he is ready to hold direct talks with Putin

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has emphasized his willingness to negotiate directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as long as that would be the only format which could "bring peace to the citizens of Ukraine and not lose people."

When asked during the interview with British journalist Piers Morgan how he felt about potentially sitting opposite Putin at a negotiating table, Zelensky said, "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."

He later said, without specifying who, that any such talks would be with four participants. In an earlier interview over the weekend, however, he said that he "would like to see the United States of America, Ukraine and the Russians at the negotiating table... And, to be honest, a European Union voice should also be there."

Any such conversation would need to happen after a meeting between himself and US President Donald Trump, Zelensky remarked at the time.

Referring to Vladimir Putin, Zelensky said, "I will not be kind to him, I consider him an enemy. To be honest, I think he considers me an enemy, too."

In Tuesday's interview, the Ukrainian president admitted that his country is likely to lose at least some of the territory that has been taken by Russia since its invasion began in February 2022.

In a sharp criticism of Ukraine's backers in the war, Zelensky lamented that "regrettably, the support that is provided by our partners is insufficient to push Putin fully out of our territories."

Nevertheless, he pointed to NATO membership as Ukraine's best chance to end the war and guarantee the country's security.

In the interview, Zelensky estimated Ukraine's war dead to be at 45,100 with 390,000 injured. He claimed Russia had suffered 350,000 deaths and 700,000 injuries.

US President Donald Trump, whose future actions will be key to determining the outcome of the war, said during a press conference on Tuesday that the US is "talking to the Russians, we're talking to the Ukrainian leadership." He did not provide further details.

Last week, Putin said Russia would be "open" to peace talks, but shifted the blame, saying there was no willingness on its part to solve legal issues. He also described Zelensky as "not legitimate" to lead any potential talks, and ruled out speaking with him directly, saying he would "allocate appropriate people" to take part in negotiations. — Euronews