Slovak PM Fico after Moscow visit: Zelenskyy should call Putin
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is willing to meet Russian ruler Vladimir Putin.
Source: Fico on Facebook, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Fico claimed that Zelenskyy said during a face-to-face conversation that he was prepared to meet Putin "in any format".
He also said he had passed on this message to the Russian side.
Quote: "I conveyed a message from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the president of Russia. When we met in person in Armenia, he told me that he is prepared to meet Putin in any format. The answer is obvious: if the president of Ukraine is interested in a meeting, he should contact his Russian counterpart by phone." [N.B. Ukrainska Pravda does not recognise Putin as president – ed.]
Details: Separately, Fico welcomed the idea of extending the ceasefire, saying that this could create space for diplomatic efforts and the negotiation process.
Background:
- It should be noted that people close to Putin say Fico did not pass on any messages from Zelenskyy during his conversation with the Kremlin leader, although the topic of Ukraine was mentioned.
- Fico arrived in Moscow on 8 May and laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the Kremlin. He described himself as something of a "black sheep" within the EU.
- Before the visit, officials in Bratislava had said that Fico intended to deliver a "message" from Zelenskyy to the Kremlin leader and that he might receive "valuable information" from Putin regarding his view of efforts to end the war.
- The Office of the President of Ukraine later stated that Zelenskyy had told Fico during their meeting that Ukraine is ready for leader-level talks with Russia in a substantive format.
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