We don't want any talks format to be imposed on us – Zelenskyy

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, has warned other countries that no negotiation formats should be imposed on Ukraine.

Source: Zelenskyy at the press conference on 25 February

Quote: "We do not want any negotiation format to be imposed on us. It is very important that the initiative comes from Ukraine…

I really do not want [to see] that, after elections in different countries of the world take place – and this is a whole year of various elections – some non-democratic or very democratic countries impose their own initiatives that contradict the interests of the country which is at war today."

Details: Commenting on the statement by Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, that the representatives of Russia might theoretically be invited to the second "peace summit", Zelenskyy compared this procedure with Ukraine's grain initiative.

He said that at the first "peace summit" which is to be held in the spring "the plan will be developed, and then the countries will technically deal with each crisis this war has caused" without the participation of Russia.

Zelenskyy recalled that the grain deal was agreed on without Russia’s participation, and then the plan was handed over to the Russian side. When Russia quit the initiative, Ukraine organised the grain corridor without its participation.

Quote: "It is the same with the summit. When the countries prepare a relevant document, it will be a just one, but it does not mean Russia accepts it. Nobody can guarantee Russia will accept it. We do not know who will represent Russia but this document will be handed over to the Russian side by the negotiators anyway, like it was with the Grain Initiative format.

And we will be ready for the second summit and for corresponding diplomatic steps towards just peace and the end of the war. This is our initiative, and we want more countries of the world to join us. We must move forward."

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