Ukraine won't accept Russia's ultimatums: Zelenskyy on US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia

He stated this during a meeting with the Ukrainian community in Ankara, reported Interfax-Ukraine. 

Zelenskyy reminded that at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, when world powers started helping Ukraine, Moscow issued its ultimatums. Specifically, the Russians demanded a reduction in the size of Ukraine's armed forces, recognition of Ukraine's temporarily occupied territories as Russian, and the establishment of a pro-Kremlin government in Kyiv, which would be fully aligned with Putin’s vertical. 

"And I have the impression that now there are some negotiations taking place, and they are happening with the same mindset, but they are between representatives of Russia and the United States. About Ukraine, again about Ukraine, and without Ukraine. I wonder, if we did not accept all these ultimatums at the most difficult moment, why would we feel that Ukraine would accept them now?" the Ukrainian president said. 

He also emphasized: "There were no agreements during the occupation of Kyiv region by the Russians, no agreements during the meeting in Belarus, no agreements during the meeting in Turkey with the Russians."

"As the president of Ukraine, I have not guaranteed anything to anyone, I have not confirmed anything to anyone. Moreover, I had no intention of accepting Russia's ultimatums, and I still do not intend to," he emphasized.

US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia, February 18  

On February 18, talks took place in the capital of Saudi Arabia between US Secretary of State Mark Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The meeting lasted nearly 5 hours. The Ukrainian president’s office has already issued a statement. 

After the talks, Mark Rubio stated that in order to end the war in Ukraine, all parties must make concessions, but it is wrong to define them in advance. According to him, the countries agreed to restore their embassies in Washington and Moscow to create "missions to support peace negotiations on Ukraine, bilateral relations, and broader cooperation."

Meanwhile, Fox News journalist Jacqui Heinrich reported that the United States and Russia are allegedly proposing a three-stage peace plan, which includes holding presidential elections in Ukraine.