Zelensky explained why he prohibited direct talks with Putin in 2022.

The President declared that his decision has put an end to separatism in Ukraine.

https://zaxid.net/zelenskiy_poyasniv_chomu_u_2022_rotsi_zaboroniv_pryami_peremovini_z_putinim_n16025272025-01-26 10:36:02

On Saturday, January 25, President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that in 2022 he enacted a decision by the National Security and Defense Council regarding the impossibility of negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop separatism.

According to Zelensky, Putin quickly began to establish numerous channels with separatists as well as representatives from other countries to influence Ukraine and him personally.

“There were many negotiation processes, many shadow negotiation corridors. I quickly put a stop to that. I simply halted separatism in our state. I prohibited anyone, any political figures in Ukraine, from conducting any negotiations with the Russian side, with Putin's supporters during the war,” he stated.

Zelensky believes that this decision was entirely justified and that the Russian president did not appreciate it, as at that time he had many channels to influence the Ukrainian side.

“There are channels that everyone knows about because the relevant individuals were arrested and then we exchanged them for our soldiers, and they also utilized other channels, even within some of our institutions, which I am not yet ready to discuss publicly,” the president added.

Recall that on October 4, 2022, Zelensky implemented the decision of the National Security and Defense Council regarding the impossibility of negotiating with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Russians have repeatedly demanded a review of this decision. The last time this was mentioned by Putin was on January 24, when he expressed a desire to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump. He emphasized that international partners should “force Zelensky to cancel his decree.”

In December 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that no country or world leader has the right to negotiate with Russia on behalf of Ukraine. At the same time, he noted that negotiations with the aggressor can only begin after an action plan has been agreed upon and from a position of strength.