Zelensky says he is ready to meet with Putin to end the war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that he was ready to engage in direct negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin in order to end the war in Ukraine.

During a press conference in Kyiv alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Zelensky stated that the Ukrainian issue was no longer the top priority for the United States.

According to him, Washington is now focusing more of its attention on the Iranian issue. "I think the most important issue for the United States is Iran, followed by Ukraine," he said.

The Ukrainian leader indicated that he did not wish to wait for other international crises to be resolved before seeking a solution to the conflict.

"I am ready to negotiate directly with Vladimir Putin to end this war, instead of waiting until all conflicts in the world are over," he stated.

Zelensky also accused Russia of continuing intensive airstrikes against Ukrainian territory. He explained that Ukraine had carried out retaliatory operations against several targets located in Russia following Russian attacks the previous day.

The Ukrainian president also highlighted the growing military cooperation with several European allies, including France, Norway, Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Italy, in developing ballistic missile defense capabilities.

According to him, the creation of a European missile defense system is a complex but essential project in the face of current threats.

Zelensky also indicated that six new countries wished to join Ukraine's priority arms procurement program. Without revealing their identities, he stressed the importance of continuing purchases of American military equipment, while also negotiating with other partners to strengthen Ukraine's air defense capabilities.

The head of state specified that his country was currently investing between 45 and 50 billion dollars per year in arms production.

Finally, he announced the dispatch of Ukrainian specialists to Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Romania to undergo training aimed at improving the fight against threats related to Russian drones.

Zelensky also confirmed Ukraine's participation in the next NATO summit scheduled for July, where Kyiv hopes to obtain new security guarantees from its Western partners.