Ukraine ready for unconditional ceasefire with Russia and transition to diplomacy – Zelenskyy
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was ready to halt at the current line of contact and begin diplomatic negotiations if Russia agreed to an unconditional ceasefire.
He said this in an interview with CBC News, Censor.NET reports.
Condition for transition to diplomacy
Zelenskyy explained that this would mean halting hostilities along the line of contact and shifting the situation to the diplomatic track through the mediation of certain partners.
"Yes, we are ready for this. If the Russians are ready for a ceasefire — yes, without conditions, just a ceasefire and negotiations," Zelenskyy said.
According to him, if Russia later decides that it simply wants to continue fighting, that will be its choice and a "bad idea." Zelenskyy stressed, however, that the better option was to stop the war without further losses and move towards a diplomatic settlement.
Background
- On September 14, US President Donald Trump said that Ukraine and Russia had allegedly agreed to mutually halt strikes on energy facilities.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later responded to Trump that Ukraine was ready to refrain from striking Russia’s energy infrastructure if its partners guaranteed that Russia would not strike Ukraine’s.
- Russian dictator’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov called a possible energy truce between Ukraine and Russia "a good idea."
