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Ukraine clearly states it will not accept negotiations without its participation, Zelenskyy says

19 February 2025 13:36 (UTC +04:00)

Ukraine needs concrete security guarantees, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with CNN Turk, APA reports.

"If Putin wants to return to war, there must be people at the negotiating table who can stop him. There must be someone who can give us real and concrete security guarantees, not just words. We are ready for such a dialogue. We know what diplomacy is. Of course, I don't really like talking to Putin. We are enemies and our hostility continues. But we will do everything to end this war. Everything must be with open communication between partners. We cannot play chess. Because in chess, every step you take sometimes leads to the death of dozens, sometimes hundreds, sometimes thousands of people," Zelenskyy emphasized.

The President of Ukraine has also commented on the bilateral relations of the U.S. with Russia: “Whether I like it or not, this is their bilateral cooperation, and it is the decision of the U.S. Of course, we observe that they have pull Putin out of political isolation, but again, I say that it is their decision. However, when 'These are our plans for the end of the war,' is being said, it raises questions for us. Where are we at the negotiation table? The war is happening in Ukraine. Putin is killing Ukrainians, not Americans or Europeans. That’s why we clearly state that you can discuss anything you want, but if you discuss Ukraine without us, we will not accept it. I think this is quite fair.”

Zelenskyy, highlighting the importance of both Ukraine and Russia being at the negotiation table to end the war, also underlined the necessity of not only the European Union but the entire European continent being represented in the talks.