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Ukraine's Zelensky discusses Russia's war with UN chief, Turkish president

19.08.2022 07:00
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has discussed Russia's war against his country with the UN chief and the president of Turkey, news agencies have reported.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdoan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and UN Secretary-General António Guterres hold a joint news conference in Lviv, western Ukraine, on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and UN Secretary-General António Guterres hold a joint news conference in Lviv, western Ukraine, on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022.Photo: EPA/MYKOLA TYS

The talks in Lviv, western Ukraine, on Thursday also focused on ways to secure Europe's largest nuclear power plant, which has come under shelling at the frontlines, the Reuters news agency reported.

UN Secretary-General Secretary-General António Guterres told reporters after the talks that he was gravely concerned by circumstances at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine and called for military equipment and personnel to be withdrawn, according to Reuters.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan said he, Guterres and Zelensky discussed building on recent positive atmosphere to revive peace negotiations with Russia, Reuters reported.

"Personally, I maintain my belief that the war will ultimately end at the negotiating table," Erdoğan was quoted as saying.

"Mr. Zelensky and Mr. Guterres have the same opinion in this regard," he added, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile, Zelensky told reporters after his meeting with Guterres and Erdoğan that Moscow cannot be trusted and that talks with Russia can only be held after Russian troops are withdrawn from all the temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine, the Ukrinform news agency reported.

“As for the future end of the war between Ukraine and Russia, I expressed my opinion to the President of Turkey: the Russian Federation cannot be trusted," Zelensky said, as quoted by the Ukrainian state news agency.

He added that he was "very surprised" that the Russians "are ready for some kind of peace."

"Those who kill, rape, daily strike with cruise missiles our civilian cities, civil infrastructure, cannot want peace," Zelensky told reporters, as quoted in English by the Ukrinform news agency.

"So, first, I think they must leave our territories," he said, according to the ukrinform.net website.

(gs)

Source: IAR, PAP, Reuters, ukrinform.net