Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would agree to direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end almost three years of war, but he would do so if that is the only way to bring peace to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy also warned against lifting sanctions against Russia and raised the question of whether nuclear weapons would be the answer to Ukraine's need for security guarantees. The Ukrainian president made the comments in an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan posted on February 4 on YouTube.
On holding talks to end the war, Zelenskyy said: "If people believe we must move to the diplomatic track, and I believe we are ready to move to the diplomatic track, there must be the U.S., Europe, Ukraine, and Russia."
Asked how he would feel sitting opposite Putin at a negotiating table, Zelenskyy said: “If that is the only setup in which we can bring peace to the citizens of Ukraine and not lose people, definitely we will go for this setup."
He added: "I will not be kind to him, I consider him an enemy. To be honest, I think he considers me an enemy, too."
SEE ALSO: U.S. Call For Elections In Ukraine: A Step Toward Peace Or A Gift To Putin?The interview comes as U.S. President Donald Trump -- who has pledged to end the war -- pushes for a solution to end the fighting. Trump has said he is ready to talk with Putin about a cease-fire in Ukraine, while Putin has said he is open to discussions with Trump on issues such as the Ukraine war and energy prices, but ruled out speaking directly to Zelenskyy.
Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, on February 2 warned both sides will have to make concessions if they hope to negotiate a settlement to the war.
Zelenskyy "has already indicated he will soften his position on land," Kellogg said. "And Putin is going to have to soften his positions as well."
In the interview released on February 4, the Ukrainian president also said that offering Russia any respite from sanctions would increase the risk of a second invasion.
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Peace Will Take 'Hundreds Of Years,' Say Ukrainians Near Russian Border
His comments on Ukraine having nuclear weapons arose in response to a question about security guarantees. He said if Ukraine's accession to NATO drags on for years or decades, allowing Ukraine to have nuclear weapons could be a sufficient guarantee of security to deter Putin from another attack.
Zelenskyy reiterated that a roadmap for Ukraine to join NATO is still Kyiv's favored way to end the fighting and get security guarantees. But he said it was “absolutely fair” to raise a question about nuclear missiles.
“Will they give us missiles in such quantity that we can stop Russia? I am not sure about this, but I think it would help. Otherwise, what missiles can stop Russia's nuclear missiles?” he said.
Kyiv has struggled on the battlefield to hold back Russian forces, and Zelenskyy conceded in the interview that Ukraine is unlikely to recapture some of the territory it lost to Russia.
"Regrettably, the support that is provided by our partners is insufficient to push Putin fully out of our territories," he said.