Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday proposed to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Jerusalem, state media Kyiv Independent reported. According to the report, Zelenskyy has asked Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to act as an intermediary.
“Ukraine President Zelensky proposes meeting Russian President Putin in Jerusalem. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he asked Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to act as an intermediary,” The Kyiv Independent report stated.
“I said to (Bennett) that at present it`s not constructive to hold meetings in Russia, Ukraine, or Belarus. These are not the places where we (the leaders of the involved countries) can agree to stop the war… Do I consider Israel, Jerusalem in particular, to be such a place? I think the answer is yes,” Reuters quoted Zelenskyy as saying.
Earlier in the day, Ukraine’s foreign affairs minister Dmytro Kuleba asserted that they were ready to negotiate to end the war but would not surrender or accept any ultimatums.
In the meantime, Vladimir Putin approved bringing volunteering fighters from Syria and other countries to join Russia’s offensive in Ukraine. Giving details, Russia’s defense minister had said there had been “more than 16,000 applications” from the Middle East.
Ukraine President Zelensky proposes meeting Russian President Putin in Jerusalem. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he asked Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to act as an intermediary: The Kyiv Independent
— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2022
On the other hand, the Ukrainian President earlier said that more than 1,300 Ukrainian troops have died so far in the war against Russia. The UN also added that at least 2.5 million people have fled the country since February 24, 2022.
Earlier in the day, Russia destroyed an airfield in Vasylkiv in Kyiv region, in rocket attacks, and a mosque housing 80 civilians in Mariupol.
Moreover, the Ukrainian officials accused Russia of damaging a cancer hospital and several residential buildings in the southern city of Mykolaiv with heavy artillery.
Adviser to Ukraine President Mykhailo Podolyak on Friday called it a “city under siege”, while Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Saturday Kyiv was reinforcing defences and stockpiling food and medicine.
