By Burc Eruygur
ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday put conditions for talks with Russia, calling on Moscow to comply with the UN Charter and pay compensation for losses caused by the ongoing war.
Addressing the 27th UN Climate Change Conference via a video link, Zelenskyy also reiterated his calls for the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, the punishment of every war criminal, and guarantees that this will not happen again.
Earlier this month, the Ukrainian president said that his country is only prepared to enter negotiations with Russia if its troops leave all parts of Ukraine, including Crimea and the eastern areas of Donbas, de facto controlled by Russia since 2014, during an interview to Czech television.
Last month, Zelenskyy signed a decree that declared Russia's annexation of parts of Ukraine null and void, and also signed another decree on Sept. 30 that stated the "impossibility of negotiations" with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The US administration has "privately" encouraged Ukrainian leaders to signal an openness to negotiate with Russia, according to The Washington Post.