Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday proposed a complete exchange of all prisoners of war with Russia as the “start” of a process of ending the conflict between the two countries, AFP reported.
Addressing a summit in Kyiv on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, Zelenskyy said that Russia must release all Ukrainian prisoners and that Ukraine is ready to do the same.
“Russia must release Ukrainians. Ukraine is ready to exchange all for all, and this is a fair way to start,” Zelenskyy said, according to AFP.
He also said that this year should be the beginning of a real and lasting peace in Ukraine.
Earlier today, Zelenskyy hailed his country’s “resistance” and “heroism” as EU leaders arrived in Kyiv in a show of solidarity on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion.
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“Three years of resistance. Three years of gratitude. Three years of absolute heroism of Ukrainians,” Zelenskyy said. “I thank everyone who defends and supports it.”
Zelenskyy added that 13 leaders would be in Kyiv on Monday with another 24 joining a special meeting online. The Ukrainian leader added that he hoped it would be a “turning point”.
Meanwhile, Russia on Monday said that it was ready for talks but would only stop fighting when a peace settlement “suits” Moscow, according to AFP.
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Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that while it was trying to settle Ukraine’s conflict with the United States, Europe wanted the war to “continue”.
Lavrov also called on the United States to appoint a representative for future peace talks with Russia, after what he said were his “positive” discussions in Saudi Arabia last week with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
In recent days, Zelenskyy has been at the centre of criticism from United States President Donald Trump and his administration over the war with Russia.
Lately, Trump has been pushing for a peace deal between the two countries while blaming Zelenskyy for allowing the war to start in the first place.
Trump has also described Zelenskyy as a “dictator” and warned that he “better move fast” to negotiate an end to the war or risk not having a nation to lead.
In response, Zelenskyy has remarked that Trump was living in a Russian-made “disinformation space”.
The back-and-forth comes amid an escalation of tension between the two leaders and rising concern in many European capitals over the Trump administration’s re-engagement with Russia.
(Inputs from AFP)
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