Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejects Russia’s call for negotiations in Belarus

Kyiv/Moscow: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday rejected Russia’s offer of holding negotiations in Belarus, suggesting alternative cities including Budapest and Warsaw for talks.

Zelenskyy made the remarks in a video address posted on his Telegram channel shortly after the Kremlin announced that a Russian delegation has arrived in Belarus and will be ready to start negotiations with Ukraine in the city of Gomel, Xinhua news agency reported.

“We’re saying no to Minsk. Other cities can be a place to meet,” the president said. “Of course, we want peace, we want to meet, we want for the war to end. Warsaw, Bratislava, Budapest, Istanbul, Baku — we have suggested all that to Russia,” he added.

Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a delegation including representatives of the Foreign Ministry, the Defense Ministry and other government agencies has arrived in Belarus.

(IANS)