Official: Intensity of hostilities in Ukraine affects negotiations with Russia

Adviser to the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Mykhailo Podolyak, has said that it is possible to hold a meeting between Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“However, there are factors that affect its timing and format. The situation regarding the war is still changing. The conditions which were observed at the beginning of the war, when a meeting of leaders was required to stop it, is a fully different story,” RBC-Ukraine quoted Podolyak as saying.

“Presently, the situation is different. The psycho-emotional background has greatly changed after the events in Kyiv region, after we saw the situation in Mariupol, Volnovakha towns, ongoing hostilities in Kherson region. Of course, the conditions for such a meeting are changing,” Podolyak said.

“Any war ends with agreements that can be implemented at the level of presidents. The issue is when exactly the leaders of the countries will be able to meet. In this case, there are two factors that influence this process,” the adviser noted.

“This will depend on the intensity of hostilities in eastern Ukraine and levels of cynical actions in its southern territory. These factors will determine the format and timing of negotiations between the two leaders,” Podolyak said.