Former Russian president says Zelenskyy refuses peace talks 'for fear of being killed'

MOSCOW (AA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy refuses to enter into peace talks with Russia out of fear of being killed, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Saturday.

Western reluctance to accuse Russia of being behind the missile which landed in Poland this week is "a symptom" of its weariness with the Ukrainian government, and particularly with Zelenskyy, who "is constantly escalating the situation, whining, and asking for more money and weapons." Medvedev, currently deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, said on Telegram.

The missile which hit Poland and killed two people, near the Ukrainian border, was likely Ukrainian, fired to ward off a Russian attack, but Western leaders say Russia’s attacks were ultimately responsible for the incident.

The US, EU and NATO do not want "the final breakup" with Russia, fraught with the prospect of setting off World War 3, said Medvedev, and so started urging Zelenskyy to engage in peace talks with Russia.

However, according to Medvedev, Zelenskyy does not want negotiations because it is dangerous for him, claiming that if he recognizes territories under Russia's control as belonging to Moscow, the military and "nationalists" will kill him.