Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday said he has to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
“It’s not about I want to talk with Putin, I think I have to talk with Putin,” Zelensky told reporters. “The world has to talk with Putin because there are no other ways to stop this war.”
Zelensky’s comments came on the eighth day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began last week when Putin ordered what he called a special military operation in the country.
Russian troops took control of Kherson on Wednesday, making it the first Ukrainian city to fall to Moscow’s forces.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on Wednesday said 1 million refugees have left Ukraine since the conflict began.
Officials from Russia and Ukraine met on the border of Belarus on Monday to engage in peace talks, though the discussions did not lead to any immediate agreements.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday said Russia is ready to hold a second round of talks with Ukraine.
“First we can try to predict whether Ukrainian negotiators will show up or not. Let’s hope this happens. Our [negotiators] will be there and ready,” Peskov said, according to Reuters.
