Further talks with Russia off table if Ukrainians remaining in Mariupol get killed - Zelensky

The possible elimination of the Ukrainian military and civilians, currently remaining at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, could put an end to any negotiations with the Russian side.

This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, who spoke via video conference at Chatham House.

"If they kill people who could now be exchanged along humanitarian lines if we’re talking about our military, or released – if we’re talking about civilians, or helped – if they’re the wounded, no matter if they’re military or civilian, there is nothing to talk about with them at the diplomatic level," the Head of State emphasized.

According to Zelensky, today, thanks to the efforts made jointly by Ukraine, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the United Nations, a format for the evacuation of civilians from the besieged Azovstal plant was finally found.

The president stressed that the city of Mariupol had been completely destroyed.

According to Zelensky, the siege of the city by the Russian occupiers is a deliberate step, a manifestation of hatred and terrorism. Russia’s media and propaganda machine is primarily responsible for such cruelty, and this is a problem that is yet to be addressed.

"They had developed such hatred even prior to the start of a full-scale war. They have been doing this for years, and now it all results in all this torture," the president of Ukraine concluded.

https://president.gov.ua/news/yaksho-rosijski-vijska-znishat-lyudej-u-mariupoli-z-rf-ne-bu-74857