Zelensky on relations with Putin: Dialogue has already begun

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that relations with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, are at an early stage, but the Russian leader understands his position that Ukraine is an independent country.
Zelensky said this in a comment to The Times of Israel.

"I don't know what he's thinking about. He didn't tell me. I think he understands my attitude: Ukraine is an independent country. We are a big country, the biggest in Europe. I think he understands. What does he think about it? That's in his head," he said.

Zelensky stressed that he had started a dialogue with Putin, having held several phone calls and having met at the Normandy Format summit in Paris.

"We constructed a format for our dialogue that resulted in some sensitive decisions. We have returned our prisoners, our ships. After three years without meetings, we managed to agree on the Normandy Format. After that, there was a second exchange of prisoners — the biggest such exchange," he said.

He also added that would never have sought the presidency without the goal of seeking peace in eastern Ukraine.

According to Zelensky, he would like the process of peaceful settlement of the situation in Donbas to be much quicker, but this is hampered by "very complicated questions" that need to be addressed.

"I can see the progress, because the number of exchanges of fire is significantly reduced. But it is still present," the president added.