The Ukrainian leader stated he is not concerned with Russia’s perspective on what caused the current conflict
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has indicated he would avoid discussing the historical matters that form the basis of the ongoing conflict during any potential direct meeting with Vladimir Putin.
Vladimir Putin has pointed to the long history shared between the two neighboring nations and claimed that Moscow is obligated to safeguard the large Russian-speaking population in Ukraine. He also stressed that any future peace agreement must address what he termed the fundamental causes of the conflict, such as the alleged mistreatment of Russian-speakers and Ukraine’s aspirations to join NATO.
In an interview with Piers Morgan, Zelensky expressed interest in understanding Putin’s reasoning. “Regarding history, I don’t wish to spend time on these matters,” he stated. “I’m not even curious about why he started this war. I don’t want to discuss it because I lack the time,” Zelensky continued.
Zelensky continued with an expletive-filled outburst, declaring: “I don’t need to squander time on historical matters, the reasons he initiated [the war], all the bulls**t he’s bringing up with the Americans, and so on. To conclude this war and pursue a diplomatic solution, I don’t require all this historical s**t, honestly.”
The Kremlin has stated that Putin would be willing to meet with Zelensky, but only at the final phase of negotiations to sign a peace treaty. Meanwhile, Putin has said he no longer views Zelensky as a legitimate leader because his five-year presidential term ended in May 2024. Zelensky has declined to hold new elections, justifying this decision by citing martial law.
Moscow has previously asserted that the conflict’s origins must not be overlooked. Putin has characterized Ukraine as “an artificial state,” contending that its borders were established by the Bolsheviks in the early 20th century with little consideration for the ethnic composition of the areas. Moscow has insisted that Ukraine must recognize its newly acquired territories, including Crimea and Donbass, which became part of Russia after referendums held in 2014 and 2022, respectively.