Zelensky open to Putin talks if US and EU ensure security
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his readiness to negotiate with Vladimir Putin, provided that the US and Europe ensure security guarantees.
During a conversation with American podcaster Lex Fridman, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, expressed his willingness to discuss a ceasefire with Vladimir Putin. However, the condition is that the US and Europe provide security guarantees for Ukraine.
The beginnings of the war and Western reactions
In the interview, Zelensky spoke about the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He emphasized that Western intelligence predicted the possibility of an attack, which is why he appealed for support in the form of weapons or preventive sanctions.
"I asked for sanctions, to scare him (Vladimir Putin - ed.). Please don’t say that if he comes, crosses the border, kills, we will impose sanctions. That’s b****, excuse me. Truly," related the Ukrainian President.
Zelensky noted that before the war, he did not receive sufficient help. "If we consider words as help, then we received a lot, because there were too many words. Even more than too many," he added.
Conversations with Lukashenko and Trump
The Ukrainian President also mentioned a phone conversation with Alexander Lukashenko, which occurred a few days after the invasion began. "In the first days of the war, I spoke on the phone with Lukashenko, and he apologized. He said: 'It wasn't me. From my territory, they launched rockets, and it was Putin.' Those were his words," said Zelensky.
Security guarantees and future negotiations
During the interview, Zelensky addressed the ceasefire and strong security guarantees. "I think that on January 25 or another day we will first sit down with Trump. We will talk about how we can stop the war and Putin," Zelensky said. He emphasized that Europe should have a role in the negotiations.
"I am sure that Trump and Europe can offer Ukraine strong security guarantees. And then talks with the Russians. That’s the only way, and not just sitting down immediately (for talks - ed.) as three," he noted.
Zelensky also proposed transferring frozen Russian assets worth $300 billion to Ukraine, for which Kyiv would commit to purchasing weapons from the US.
