Ukraine's president-elect Volodymyr Zelensky says no one should speak with Ukraine and Ukrainians in the language of threats, military and economic pressure.
In his opinion, this is not the best way toward ceasing fire and unblocking the Minsk process. At the same time, he stressed he was ready for negotiations.
"I hope that at the next meeting in the Normandy format, Russia will demonstrate readiness for de-escalation. Сoncrete confirmation of this readiness should be the mutual exchange of our citizens in the 'all-for-all' format. Without exceptions. For our part, we are ready to discuss the new conditions for the coexistence of Ukraine and Russia. With the understanding that real normalization will take place only after a complete de-occupation. Of both Donbas and Crimea. Ukraine doesn't give up! In all senses," reads Zelensky's statement published on his team's Telegram channel.
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Zelensky also expressed hope that "in Russia, they are more inclined to speak than to shoot."
As UNIAN reported earlier, Putin had declared his readiness to negotiate with Zelensky to end the war in Donbas.
