Putin is afraid of negotiations because he cannot admit defeat - Zelenskyy
Vladimir Putin (photo: Getty Images)
Russian leader Vladimir Putin is afraid of direct negotiations with Ukraine. He believes that this means he will lose, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview for the Associated Press.
According to him, the Russians do not want to end the war fairly, and Putin will be afraid of direct negotiations.
"I think that in his mind this is his loss, his weakness, he will be afraid of this. So he will do everything to show that this (his old narratives) is a war between the West and Russia. He cannot admit that he did not really win Ukraine, which means he is losing. And he cannot admit this," Zelenskyy said.
Therefore, in his opinion, Putin is sending "desperate signals" that he wants to talk to US President Donald Trump. However, negotiations behind Ukraine's back will not lead to results, and Zelenskyy wants Trump to contact Putin only after Kyiv and Washington have decided on concrete steps to end the war.
Zelenskyy also believes that when Trump says that Ukraine should be at the negotiating table, Putin will look for excuses - he will delay the time and "tell a story about illegitimacy."
In the same interview, the president said that Ukraine is now closer to peace than ever.
Earlier, Zelenskyy called US-Russia talks dangerous for everyone without Ukraine. According to him, Trump could bring Putin to the negotiating table by threatening powerful sanctions against the energy and banking systems.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte believes that when the talks resume, Ukraine must be "in the best possible position." And this requires constant support, including military support.
