Ukrainian President Zelensky insists on need for a 'meeting' with Vladimir Putin, rules out surrender
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday (March 21) reiterated that he wants direct talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as he said that a meeting with the Russian leader "in any format" is needed to end the war.
In an interview with the Ukraine regional media outlet Suspilne, Zelensky said, "I believe that without this meeting it is impossible to fully understand what they are ready for in order to stop the war."
Zelensky also said that Ukraine could not fulfil "Russian ultimatums," claiming Moscow was seeking to "destroy" his country. As quoted by a local media, he said: "Ukraine cannot fulfil Russian ultimatums. We should be destroyed first, then their ultimatum would be fulfilled."
Since the start of the Russian military action in Ukraine on February 24, several sessions of Ukraine-Russia talks have taken place via videoconferencing.
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He said Moscow wanted Ukraine to "hand over" Kharkiv, Mariupol and Kyiv, adding that neither the people of those cities "or me, as president, can do this."
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As quoted by news agency AFP, Zelensky on Monday said his country would be "destroyed" before it surrenders its cities to invading Russian forces.
The Ukrainian president has told the countrymen that he would not "hand over" the capital, the eastern city of Kharkiv, or the heavily bombarded and besieged Mariupol despite civilians' deaths and mass destruction.
He said, "Ukraine cannot fulfil Russian ultimatums. We should be destroyed first."
Meanwhile, almost a month after Russia launched its full-scale invasion on February 24, Moscow has ramped up its air and sea operations.
A senior US defence official said that Russia flew 300 sorties in the past 24 hours, in a "desperate" bid to turn the tide against the Ukrainian resistance.
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(With inputs from agencies)