Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that he met with Russian businessman Roman Abramovich. According to Zelenskyy, Abramovich offered to deliver a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin and bring back a response.
Zelenskyy said in an interview with Sky News that he had met with Russian businessman Roman Abramovich, who offered to act as an intermediary for messages between Kyiv and the Kremlin.
According to Zelenskyy, Abramovich came to Kyiv and said he had a message for him. He also offered to deliver Ukraine’s response to Putin. Zelenskyy said Abramovich insisted that such contacts remain non-public.
Zelenskyy said he made clear during the conversation that territorial concessions by Ukraine were unacceptable. He stated that Ukraine would not leave its territory and would not agree to decisions that would amount to a Russian victory.
The president also told Abramovich that he was ready to meet Putin on any day and in any format, whether with the participation of the United States, European partners, or through direct bilateral talks.
According to Zelenskyy, a ceasefire must be the first step toward peace. He described it as the biggest compromise Ukraine could make and said diplomatic negotiations on ending the war could follow afterward.
The president said that after the message was delivered, the Russian side indicated it was prepared for a meeting only if Ukraine accepted Moscow’s demands. Zelenskyy responded that decisions about Ukraine’s future cannot be made without Ukraine itself.
“You cannot decide about us without us. It is unacceptable and it will not bring peace,” Zelenskyy said.
