Zelenskyy ready to continue peace talks with Russia; says 'any war has to end'

As the battle for Ukraine's sovereignty entered day 40 on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's army recaptured Bucha and Irpin, claiming control over the 'whole of Kyiv'. Meanwhile, The Kyiv Independent citing CBS, reported that Zelenskyy pledges to continue peace talks with Russia despite atrocities committed in Ukraine. “It’s difficult to say how, after all what has been done, we can have any kind of negotiations with Russia. But as president, I have to do it. Any war has to end,” Zelenskyy told CBS.

"We all want to win — all of us. We still have a long way to go to achieve everything we're aiming for," Zelenskyy remarked in his latest address. 

Compromises may also be more difficult to reach now that evidence of Russian atrocities against Ukrainian citizens has emerged following Russia's withdrawal from the Kyiv region, causing public outrage. Another round of Russian-Ukraine talks in Turkey has yielded little progress towards a cease-fire, much less a peace agreement. According to remarks from both Moscow and Kyiv, there seems to be some agreement on the issues that need to be resolved but little agreement on what the parties consider acceptable solutions.

While Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has already stated that any consensus with Russia will be put to a referendum, the proposed changes will still require a two-thirds majority in the Verkhovna Rada and a preferable opinion from the constitution bench on whether they are "oriented toward the liquidation of Ukraine's independence or violation of its territorial indivisibility." For constitutional amendments, both of these are required. Furthermore, "under martial law or a state of emergency," no constitutional modifications are permitted.

Kyiv is planning for a possible discussion between Zelenskyy and Russian President Putin in Turkey, according to David Arakhamia, the head of the Ukrainian delegation, to the negotiations.

Image: AP