Ukraine ready for negotiation with Russia, but won't bow down: Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Russia-Ukraine war day 33: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that he is 'ready for negotiations' with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyy added that he is ready to guarantee Russia security, remain neutral and declare itself a nuclear free state. However, he also warned that if they fail 'that would mean that this is a third World War'.

Zelenskyy has urged more negotiations in recent days as Russia's invasion of Ukraine nears its fourth week. In a video message posted Saturday, he called for talks 'without delay', warning that otherwise Russia's losses would be 'huge'.

In Istanbul, Turkey, representatives of both the countries will once again sit face to face for peace talks. But President Zelenskyy has made it clear that he is not going to bow down to Putin's unreasonable demands. He added that if Russia talks about demilitarization, then Ukraine will not even sit at the negotiating table.

Read | 5,200 Ukrainians evacuated through humanitarian corridors amid Russian invasion

So far, peace talks have been held between Russia and Ukraine on February 28, March 1 and March 7, but the path of reconciliation is yet to be found. Ahead of Monday's meeting, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that the two countries have agreed on 4 out of 6 points, including the condition of Ukraine not joining NATO.

NATO, a security alliance currently made up of 30 North American and European nations, was created in 1949 in response to the start of the Cold War. Its original purpose was to protect the West from the threat posed by the Soviet Union.

Claims of biological weapons rejected

Russia has also accused Ukraine of trying to acquire nuclear and biological weapons. Volodymyr Zelenskyy has totally rejected this claim. He said, "This is a joke, we do not have nuclear weapons. We don't have biological laboratories and chemical weapons. Ukraine does not have these things."

From President Zelenskyy's statements, it also seemed that the Ukrainian army is now being demoralized by Russian attacks as there is a shortage of weapons. Recently, the President said that Ukraine cannot counter Russia's missiles with shotguns and machine guns. Without tanks, armored vehicles and especially jets, it is no longer possible to save Mariupol.

(With Agency Inputs)