Ukrainian Presidency: Zelensky is ready to discuss any political issues with Russia

Ukrainian Presidential Adviser, Mikhail Podolyak, confirmed that the country's President, Vladimir Zelensky, is ready to discuss any political issues with Russia, including security guarantees for Ukraine in light of NATO's refusal to accept it.

"President Zelensky is not afraid to talk to the Russian side on any political issues," Podolyak said, in an interview with the Ukrainian newspaper "Strana".

He continued, "But of course we defend our national state institutions and our national rights. We must obtain a set of clear, precise and legally binding guarantees for our security in the circumstances of NATO's public affirmation that Ukraine's admission (in the alliance) will not happen. There is no point in talking about any details now." .

The comment came after Zelensky declared, in an interview with ABC, that Ukraine was "not ready for ultimatums" but had a "possible solution" on core contentious issues with Russia, including the status of Crimea and the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics.

The Russian government, which launched on February 24 a special military operation in Ukraine, put forward a set of demands to stop the conflict, including recognition of Crimea's dependence on Russia, as well as the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk republics.

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