Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that he sees no sense in a phone conversation with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, as he wants to work out real steps towards peace rather than listen to historical lectures.
Source: Zelenskyy during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on 3 November, responding to a question about a possible conversation or meeting with Putin
Quote: "Talking over the phone would result in a very formal, dry conversation where I would once again listen to a historical lecture from the Russian leader, rather than [discuss] real steps on how to truly end the war. We shouldn't just talk about this; we need to sit down, negotiate and prove where this side is wrong because they are the aggressor. If we want to end the war, we must meet and take the first step: a ceasefire."
Details: Regarding an invitation to Moscow, Zelenskyy called it the Russian leader "spitting in the face" of everyone who wants peace.
Quote: "We are not inviting Putin to Kyiv. Firstly, they came to us uninvited in 2022. Secondly, there is no sense in inviting Putin to Kyiv because they will not come. Inviting them just so they wouldn't come is destructive. Just as inviting me to Moscow – which is what Russia is doing – is destructive. It's simply spitting in the face of the entire world that wants the war to end. Therefore, no one will back a trip to Moscow."
Details: He added that the first step – a ceasefire – can be taken even without meetings.
Quote: "A ceasefire can happen without a meeting if Russia had the desire. We are not seeing this. They want dialogue in one format or another. They are proposing a trilateral format. If these are de-escalation steps, then yes – we can meet in a trilateral format."
Details: He added that Ukraine "always advocates for Europe's presence" at all meetings regarding peace, and even when it comes to trilateral talks between Ukraine, the US and Russia, Europe is "present in one format or another" there as well, because "there is no way without Europe".
Background: Witkoff also announced that trilateral talks on ending the Russia-Ukraine war would take place on 10-11 November in the capital of the United Arab Emirates and would focus on further steps towards peace. The Ukrainian president previously said that, following a conversation between European leaders and the Kremlin leader, there is a sense that Russia is serious about a meeting between negotiating teams in Abu Dhabi. A meeting to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine , announced by US Presidential Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, will be held at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels on 4 November, ahead of talks involving Russia in Abu Dhabi.
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