Iryna Lysohor, head of News department
The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy is positive about the change in rhetoric of Russian authorities regarding their readiness for dialogue.
Over the past two years, despite hundreds of requests from Ukraine, Russia has not given any such signals. Zeleneskyy said to foreign journalists at a briefing.
The President noted that the end of the war launched by Russia had to start with a ceasefire. This in turn, this will provide an opportunity to provide humanitarian aid.
“We are 100% ceratin that we will win and 100% uncertain of when it will be. Our diplomats are working and discussing the details of the possible agenda between us and Russia. For this to be real and not just words, we have started the process of settlement, towards peace, and ending the war. It’s 100% that the start will be a ceasefire. This will let us unblock humanitarian operations,” he notes.
Ukrainian and Russian delegations have had three rounds of negotiations in Belarus. Occupiers did not cease fire towards civilians even while their representatives were negotiating. Russia is pushing an ultimatum for the surrender of Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities have said categorically that this will not happen.
Zelensky stressed that Ukraine is ready for negotiations. Some steps of the agenda are being considered. Negotiators from Russia and Ukraine are discussing the issue. The Russians have finally stopped issuing ultimatums and begun to talk. However, for now the involvement of Western partners in this process has been insufficient. Security guarantees must be offered by foreign leaders as well, because it is impossible to trust Russia itself.
Thousands of people have already died because Russia has not once confirmed its willingness to meet.
“There have been ultimatums from Russia, but we haven’t accepted any of them. The war has been deepening. Three-or-four-day operations to occupy our state and yet the change in leadership of our state has not happened. I am confident it will not take place. Even if they bring in a million of Russian citizens to die here, it is impossible to occupy Ukraine. It is impossible to occupy the minds of our people,” the President highlighted.
Also, this week the Foreign Minister of Ukraine and Russia Dmytro Kuleba and Sergey Lavrov held a meeting in Turkey. Lavrov turned out to not be authorized to make any decisions, but promised to deliver Ukrainian suggestions to the Kremlin, in particular regarding the opening of humanitarian corridors.