Zelenskyy responds to Lavrov: 'I didn’t make any proposals to Putin'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy never proposed a meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.It was the Kremlin leader who suggested direct talks in Istanbul to avoid a ceasefire, stated Zelenskyy during a press conference.
"I didn’t make any proposals to Putin. We all understood that he was offering direct negotiations… because he didn’t want a ceasefire," Zelenskyy said.
He noted that Putin may not meet with him, but simply say, "OK, there will be a ceasefire," as it was during Easter.
What Lavrov said
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has reacted to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s statement that he expects direct talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Istanbul, calling Zelenskyy "pathetic."
"At first, Zelenskyy made some statements demanding that Putin attend in person. A pathetic man, everyone probably understands this, except for him and his puppeteers. Later, his senior comrades explained to him that he shouldn’t behave so foolishly and that negotiations are necessary," Lavrov said.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova also lashed out at Zelenskyy with personal insults. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has already responded to Moscow’s attacks.
