Ukraine can only envisage talks with Russia on ending the war under certain conditions, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview broadcast on Saturday as the conflict neared its 1,000th day.
Zelensky said these conditions included “that Ukraine does not [negotiate] with Russia alone and that Ukraine will be strong.”
In the current situation, it was to be expected that negotiations would end badly for Ukraine, the president told the country’s public radio station Suspilne.
“From our side, we must do everything we can to ensure that this war ends next year, ends diplomatically,” he said.
In order to strengthen Ukraine’s negotiating position, he is hoping for help from the country’s Western allies.
Zelensky’s “victory plan,” which he presented abroad last month, refers to “real diplomacy” from a position of strength.
The five-point plan includes a demand for an invitation to join the Western military alliance NATO before the end of the war. In addition, Ukraine is to be massively rearmed and Russia is to be subjected to stronger sanctions.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbouring country on February 24, 2022 and currently controls around one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory.
