"I see him as an enemy, and he sees me the same way," Zelensky stated about his willingness to sit down for talks with Putin.

President Volodymyr Zelensky is willing to sit down for negotiations with Putin if it results in a single agreement that brings peace to Ukraine, he stated in an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan published on February 4.

Zelensky mentioned that Ukraine is prepared to end the "hot phase" of the war and that its willingness to negotiate with Russia is already a compromise.

“We will talk to Putin... Just the act of talking to Putin is a compromise,” Zelensky told Morgan.

When asked how he would feel sitting across from Putin in a personal meeting, Zelensky dismissed his personal feelings on the matter.

“If this is the only scheme under which we can bring peace to the citizens of Ukraine and not lose people, then we will definitely go for this scheme... What does my attitude towards him matter?” Zelensky said.

“I will not be kind to him; I consider him an enemy. And, to be honest, I believe he considers me an enemy too,” he added.

Zelensky once again emphasized that the negotiation process should involve Ukraine, the USA, the European Union, and Russia. He also noted that Kyiv has no intention of surrendering any occupied Ukrainian territories to Russia.

US President Donald Trump urged Zelensky and Putin to "strike a deal" to end the war, and he promised to achieve a ceasefire within the first six months of his term.

Background. As recently reported by Reuters, the Trump administration wants Ukraine to hold elections immediately after a ceasefire. The winner of the elections could be responsible for signing a more long-term agreement with Russia, according to the White House.