Zelenskyy tells David Muir path to peace 'more difficult' than acknowledging Putin's ultimatums
In an exclusive interview Monday with ABC News anchor David Muir, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the path to peace is "more difficult than simply acknowledging" another ultimatum from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelenskyy spoke with Muir from the Presidential Office in Kyiv and said he will stay in his country for the duration of the war.
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"When the Kremlin says these three conditions to end the war … that you must give up on joining NATO, recognize Crimea as part of Russia and recognize the independence of those two separatist regions in the east … you say it’s a nonstarter, not willing to [accept] those three conditions right now?" Muir asked.
Zelenskyy responded, "It is more difficult than simply acknowledging them ... this is another ultimatum and we are not prepared for ultimatums."
He went on, "But we have the possible solution resolution for these three items, key items, what needs to be done is for President Putin to start talking. Start the dialogue instead of living in the information bubble without oxygen. I think that’s where he is. He is in this bubble. He’s getting this information and you don’t know how realistic that information is that he’s getting."