MOSCOW, April 27. /TASS/. Ukraine’s President-Elect Volodymyr Zelensky is ready to discuss new conditions for coexistence of Ukraine and Russia, he wrote on his Facebook page.
“I would like to note once again that I am ready for negotiations. I hope that at the next meeting in the Normandy format Russia will demonstrate readiness for de-escalation … Our side is ready to discuss new conditions for coexistence of Ukraine and Russia,” Zelensky wrote.
In his opinion, mutual exchange of prisoners under the “all for all” formula should be a concrete confirmation of Russia’s readiness for de-escalation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier he believes ways to resolve the Donbass conflict could be the focus of his possible talks with Ukrainian President-Elect Volodymyr Zelensky. “If we ever meet in order to hold talks – and I don’t rule out such a possibility – we will first and foremost have to discuss ways to end the conflict in southeastern Ukraine,” Putin said, adding that there was no alternative to the Minsk Agreements in that regard.
He also noted that a large number of Ukrainians had voted for Zelensky. “Everyone is tired of the conflict [in Donbass]. Everyone expect the new authorities, including the future president, to achieve these goals. But the future president announces from the very start that he doesn’t plan to implement the Minsk Agreements. If so, how does he plan to resolve this issue?” Putin said, adding that he would like to understand Zelensky’s position.