Volodymyr Zelenskyy declares readiness to negotiate with Vladimir Putin
In an interview with Sky News, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he is ready to meet with Vladimir Putin and do everything possible to achieve peace. According to him, the United States has enough influence to stop the war, but must exert stronger pressure on Moscow.
"The United States is much stronger than it thinks it is. And I really believe that. They can really put pressure on Putin. They can stop this war," he said.
The president called on the administration in Washington to tighten sanctions against the families of Russia's leadership and provide Ukraine with more modern weapons. In his opinion, only increased pressure will force Moscow to take the negotiations seriously.
Volodymyr Zelensky noted that the question of victory in the war depends on what is meant by this concept. He stressed that the return of all territories is very difficult and could lead to heavy human losses.
At the same time, he added that Russia is also unable to achieve its goals on the battlefield. "That's why they won't win, and we won't lose," he said.
When asked about the possibility of abandoning the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, the president replied that this was a red line. "This is our territory, and I find it incredibly strange why we should leave our land," he said. According to him, in the event of a retreat, about 200,000 people currently in Sloviansk would find themselves under Russian occupation.
The president also described his relationship with Donald Trump as "not easy," adding that relations between countries go beyond individual personalities.
He spoke about the difficult conditions this winter. According to him, this is the harshest winter in decades, with temperatures reaching minus 20 degrees during the day and minus 30 at night. In some regions, temperatures have reached minus 40 without reliable heating. "If there is no heating, it is difficult both during the day and at night," he said.
On Thursday, according to the president, Russia launched 420 drones and 39 missiles. As a result of the attacks, dozens of people were injured and buildings were damaged.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the work of civilians who are restoring the energy system under fire.
"We had absolutely heroic teams who restored the power supply and the energy system, but we also suffered losses because they were working under rocket fire," he said.
The president also acknowledged that his duties had affected his family. "During the war, I am not the best father... because I don't have much time for my children. I am the president of Ukraine... My choice is Ukraine," he said.
On Thursday, Ukrainian and American officials met in Geneva to discuss post-war reconstruction, despite the lack of progress in peace talks with Russia.
Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the next round of US-mediated talks is likely to take place in early March in Abu Dhabi.
Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov said the parties are working to agree on economic and security issues to make the next trilateral meeting with the US and Russia as meaningful as possible.
Speaking about the prospects for peace, the president noted that there is a window of opportunity before the US elections in November. "If it is possible to achieve peace, we will have it, we now have this window," he said, adding that the coming months will be decisive.
