Zelenskyy’s office responds to Kremlin’s allegations that Ukraine refuses to negotiate

EUROPEAN PRAVDA - SATURDAY, 28 MAY 2022, 21:28

Mykhailo Podolyak, Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, responded to the recent statements by the Russian president that Russia was allegedly open to resuming talks on ending the war with Ukraine and that the talks were at a standstill only because of Kyiv’s position.

According to European Pravda, Podolyak made this comment on Twitter.

"Moscow is once again spreading false allegations along the lines of ‘Ukraine refuses to negotiate’. Real negotiations are only possible if Russia stops being hypocritical (saying one thing and doing another), leaves the south of our country alone, and withdraws its troops. Until then, a separate ‘delegation’ will continue negotiating on the front line," Podolyak said.

On  28 April, the leaders of France and Germany once again held a telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, in which, among other things, they urged him to agree to hold direct talks with the president of Ukraine. The Russian president, for his part, stated that the only obstacle to the talks was Ukraine’s position.

In an interview with a Dutch TV channel, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said that he was prepared to hold the talks "as early as tomorrow," but suggested that he saw no point in negotiating with anyone but Putin himself, because other Russian officials do not have decision-making power.

He also said that he would consider the complete restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity a victory and that, at a minimum, Ukraine would have to return the territories occupied by Russia since 24 February 2022.