Ukraine news: Zelensky says negotiations with Russia possible

Kyiv, Ukraine –

The Ukrainian president has hinted at the possibility of peace talks with Russia.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the international community late Monday to “force Russia into genuine peace talks”, listing his usual terms for dialogue.

This is at least a change in rhetoric from the man who signed a decree in late September stating that it was “impossible to hold a meeting” with Putin. It seems that there is, so it’s hard to see how that would advance the negotiations.

Western weapons and aid are critical to Ukraine’s ability to repel a Russian aggression, and some initially expected a Russian invasion to pass through the country more easily. The election will define the amount and shape of Washington’s future political and financial support for Ukraine.

If Republicans gain control of Congress, it could make it more difficult for President Joe Biden’s administration to push for a massive package of military and other aid to Ukraine.

Russia and Ukraine held several talks in Belarus and Turkey early in the war, with the war now looming nine months. Talks stalled after the delegation’s last meeting in Istanbul in March yielded no results.

Mr Zelensky said on Monday that Kyiv “repeatedly proposed (talks) and received a constantly mad Russian response: new terrorist attacks, shelling, threats”.

However, he recently refused to negotiate with Putin. That in itself is a change in tactics, after repeated calls for a personal meeting with the Russian leader.The Kremlin has dismissed such a meeting.

President Zelensky stated that the conditions for the start of the dialogue included “restoration of (Ukrainian) territorial integrity… compensation for all war damages, punishment of all war criminals, and a guarantee that it would never happen again.” mentioned.

Meanwhile, Russia resumed calls for negotiations after successful counterattacks in eastern and southern Ukraine in September, but Ukraine has since rejected the possibility.

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko stressed on Tuesday that Moscow has not set any terms for resuming talks with Ukraine and accused Kyiv of lacking “goodwill”.

“This is their choice and we have always declared that we are ready for such negotiations,” Rudenko said.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mikhail Podlyak tweeted on Monday that “Ukraine has never refused to negotiate,” but first Russia needs to withdraw its troops from the country. Are you? Clearly not ready, ”Podoljak wrote.

In other development:

— Three civilians have been killed and seven wounded in the past 24 hours in the eastern Donetsk region, where Russia is struggling to completely overwhelm, according to Donetsk Governor Pablo Kirilenko. did.

Kirilenko said the deaths occurred in the city of Bakhmut and the town of Krasnohorivka, the main targets of the heavy Russian offensive in Donetsk. Ukraine’s deputy defense minister last week described the Bakhmut region as the “epicenter” of fighting in eastern Ukraine.

— Elsewhere, two civilians were seriously injured by unexploded ordnance in the Kharkov region of northeastern Ukraine. Kyiv’s army recaptured a large swath of territory he recaptured in September, said Kharkiv governor Oleh Syniehubov.

In the southern partly occupied Kherson region, where Ukrainian forces have successfully counterattacked, Russian-installed authorities have “completed” measures to evacuate the population ahead of the expected Ukrainian advance. said.

The Kremlin-appointed government was looking to relocate tens of thousands of people in anticipation of further Ukrainian military incursions into the region. Ukrainian military and civilian officials have previously described the relocation measures as “forced evictions.” Kirill Stremsov, deputy head of the Kremlin-backed regime, has repeatedly denied it.

Officials in Russia-backed Kherson have announced that motorized ferries that transport civilians across the Dnieper into the depths of Russian-held territory have ceased operations. The main relocation route remaining is across the Antonivsky Bridge over the Dnieper River, which has been repeatedly damaged by Ukrainian attacks and is now run by Russian forces, according to an announcement made on Monday on Telegram.

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Karmanau reported from Tallinn, Estonia.