We Will Never See Putin and Zelensky at the Negotiation Table, Says Kuleba

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has stated that the Ukrainian side does not trust Russian President Vladimir Putin and therefore will not agree to negotiations involving him. As an alternative, Kuleba pointed out that a third party could be involved in the negotiations to halt the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

In an interview with Corriere della Sera, when asked if Vladimir Putin is a partner in negotiations with Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba said, "Putin is not our partner."

“There are other diplomatic ways to conduct indirect negotiations. But it is clear to us that we will never be able to see Putin and Zelensky at the same table,” the Ukrainian minister stated.

Kuleba indicated that Ukraine is ready to conduct peace negotiations with Russia, but not with Vladimir Putin, and only on the condition that Russian troops withdraw from the territories that Kyiv considers its own.

The journalist clarified with Kuleba that if the Ukrainian side refuses to negotiate with the Russian president, whom they are prepared to discuss conflict resolution options with. The head of Ukraine's Foreign Ministry recalled the process of concluding the grain deal, where the roles of intermediaries were taken on by the UN and Turkey.

“Last year, the grain deal was concluded with the mediation of UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. There were two separate agreements with us and Moscow, and there was never any direct communication,” Dmytro Kuleba said.

Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine ended in May 2022. In October of the same year, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky signed a decree excluding the possibility of further negotiations with the Russian president as long as he is Vladimir Putin. In May 2023, Mr. Zelensky stated that negotiations would not begin until Russian troops withdraw from Ukraine.