Zelensky invites IDPs to negotiating table in Minsk

 “If they [Russia] say “talk to the residents of the occupied territories, you do not know what they need”, then everything is very simple. Let's talk to everyone. May the residents who moved from Donbas come to Minsk, sit at the table and tell why they moved and what happened,” President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said on the air of Freedom of Speech of Savik Shuster TV program on Friday evening.

The President also stated that the Ukrainian authorities would not negotiate with Russian-backed militants of Donbas, but a dialogue must be maintained with the pro-Ukrainian population of the occupied territories.

“Ukraine does not speak to militants. But everyone should understand how negotiations have been going on in the Trilateral Contact Group for all these five years. Ukraine, Russia, the OSCE and representatives of the temporarily occupied territories are present there. That is, they are there. The president does not speak directly to them and will not speak. This is clear,” Zelensky said.

At the same time, he noted that all residents of the occupied territories must not be regarded as separatists. According to the president, he met with people who crossed the entry-exit checkpoints in Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote and heard from them that they wanted the war to end, they did not want to go to Russia but wanted to be in Ukraine.

“We must speak to these people,” the Head of State is convinced.

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