Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his country's first priority in talks with Russia in Istanbul is to secure an unconditional ceasefire, in order to create a basis for future peace treaty negotiations.
At a meeting of the European Political Community in Tirana, Zelensky told other leaders that it was also crucial to build trust in the negotiation process through the release of prisoners of war and the return of Ukrainian children from Russia.
"Our number one priority is a complete, unconditional and sincere ceasefire. This must happen immediately to stop the killing and create a solid basis for diplomacy," Zelensky said, according to Reuters.
“And if the Russian representatives in Istanbul today cannot even agree on that – on a ceasefire – then it will be 100 percent clear that Putin continues to undermine diplomacy,” he said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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