Zelenskyy says peace in Ukraine will come after Putin's out, but short-term solution exists
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine (Vitalii Nosach/RBC-Ukraine)
A just peace in Ukraine will likely come only after the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, is gone. However, there is also a short-term solution, Tagesschau reports, citing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian President noted that at this time, he sees no willingness on Putin's part to end the full-scale war.
Zelenskyy pointed out that the West is not applying enough pressure on Russia. According to the Ukrainian leader, the United States is "engaged, but not 100%." Other countries, such as China or the Global South, are "holding back."
"We will have a just peace, but possibly only after Putin. But a peace that begins with a ceasefire, and then proceeds with further steps toward lasting peace, could start as soon as tomorrow," Zelenskyy emphasized.
Russia-Ukraine negotiations
On May 16, the first direct meeting in recent years between representatives of Ukraine and Russia took place in Türkiye, where the parties discussed the possibility of ending the full-scale war.
That same day, Zelenskyy arrived in the country, expecting a face-to-face conversation with Putin; however, the latter ignored the invitation.
The Ukrainian side was led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, while the Russian delegation was represented by Putin's Aide, Vladimir Medinsky. A key issue in the negotiations was a major prisoner exchange based on a 1000-for-1000 format. The exchange was carried out in three stages over the past weekend.
Meanwhile, Russia proposed holding a second round of negotiations with Ukraine on Monday, June 2, in Istanbul.
