Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said negotiations with Russia are the only option for his country, although they are at present “a challenge”.
Commenting on the crisis in Ukraine on national television, Zelensky judged that there is a possibility that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin will not speak in person, Reuters reports.
“All of us, including me, see the possibility of negotiations as a challenge”, said Zelensky in an interview with Ukrainian journalists on national television.
He also signed a decree appointing a delegation for negotiations on security guarantees with Russia. The document was published on the Ukrainian president’s website yesterday, reports TASS.
According to Zelenski’s decision, the delegation will be led by Davyd Arakhamia, leader of the parliamentary party Servant of the People and Ukrainian negotiator in talks with the Russians so far.
From the other side, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko confirmed that intensive negotiations with the Ukrainian side are underway in video format.
Rudenko told Interfax that it is too early to talk about a meeting between the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine, Sergey Lavrov and Dmytro Kuleba, before the text of an agreement is finalised.
Photo: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service