Ukrainian President proposes meeting with Vladimir Putin to avoid clash
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he is "ready" for war but proposes to Vladimir Poutine, Tuesday, April 20, a meeting on the front line, in eastern Ukraine.
STR AFP / File
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
While concerns are still high about the accumulation of Russian soldiers on the Ukrainian borders, Volodymyr Zelensky addresses Vladimir Poutine and invites him to meet him to avoid a Russian-Ukrainian war.
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At the end of
his visit to Paris
last Friday, the Ukrainian president said he hoped for a rapid resumption of the truce, but the negotiations involving political advisers and diplomats within the framework of so-called “Normandy format” discussions (which bring together Paris , Berlin, Moscow and Kiev) ended on Monday without giving any tangible result.
In a speech to the nation, the video of which is published on the website of the presidency, Volodymyr Zelensky assured that his country did not want a war, but that it was ready for it.
At the end of his speech, he switched to Russian, to address Vladimir Putin directly.
“
The Russian president once said: if a fight is inevitable, attack first.
But, in my opinion, every leader should understand that a fight cannot be inevitable, when it comes to real war and millions of lives.
During their meeting, the political advisers of the Normandy format, discussed the establishment of a comprehensive ceasefire.
But despite the fact that all sides supported the idea, Russia refused to support a joint statement.
In addition, it discussed the idea of officials going to the contact line so that they understand the situation more precisely. But what is there to understand? I understand everything perfectly. I go there every month.
Mr. Putin, I am ready to go further, and to suggest that you meet me in any place of the Ukrainian Donbass, where the war continues.
"
The Ukrainian president therefore called on his Russian counterpart on Tuesday to meet him
in the area of conflict with pro-Russian separatists
in eastern Ukraine, in order to avoid "
a
Russian-Ukrainian
war
".
Russia has massed tens of thousands of troops on the Ukrainian border and annexed Crimea in recent weeks, raising fears in Kiev and the West of a major military operation.
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Vladimir Poutine
Volodymyr Zelensky
Ukraine
Russia