"Silence" regime will take place only if Putin himself wants to hold negotiations, - Zelensky
President Volodymyr Zelensky is convinced that a cease-fire is possible only when the Russian leadership is interested in reaching diplomatic agreements.
According to Censor.NЕТ with reference to UP, he stated this in an interview with Wall Street Journal.
If we're talking about a ceasefire, we need to see a willingness to reach a ceasefire on the part of the Russian Federation. If we don't see that, if they really want a ceasefire, they need to show it.
Right now we have negotiated a ceasefire in Mariupol to allow civilians out of the bomb shelters, and we even brought in the UN in the hope of moving things along. Nevertheless, they are still shelling, bombing. We need a ceasefire," he emphasized.
According to Zelensky, this will be possible when there is a dialogue and conversation between the leaders of the two countries.
"If we have a meeting with President Putin, then by that time there will be a ceasefire. Then he and I will probably agree in person that we should personally commit to a ceasefire, and preferably publicly. Then we can believe in it."
But a ceasefire does not mean that Russian troops will stay where they are now - and there will be such a "frozen conflict". We are not going to go for a freeze... Our groups are communicating at the level of negotiators, as we did in Turkey about preparations for a meeting, or about future agreements between the countries. But this is communication.
I can tell you frankly: I don't really believe in such agreements. I believe that it is important to talk, but until the President of the Russian Federation personally signs or says something, I do not see any value in such agreements," the Head of State added.
