[우크라 침공] Zelensky: "I'm ready to negotiate with Putin...if it fails, World War III"

Ukrainian President Zelensky gives a video address to anti-war protesters in Switzerland

(Bern AFP = Yonhap News) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (screen) participates in an anti-war protest in front of the Parliament House in Bern, Switzerland, on the 19th (local time). March 20, 2022 jsmoon@yna.co.kr

(Washington = Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Byung-soo = Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on the 20th (local time) that he was ready to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who invaded Ukraine.

He warned that if these negotiations failed, a war between Ukraine and Russia could lead to World War III.

“I am ready to negotiate with him[Putin],” Volodymyr said in an interview with CNN this morning. CNN Internet version reported.

“Even if there is only a 1% chance of stopping this war, I think we should seize this opportunity,” Volodymir insisted. “We need to do that.”

He continued, “I can talk about the outcome of the negotiations, but in any case, we are losing people and innocent people on the field every day,” he said.

“The Russian army invaded to annihilate and kill us, but we can prove that our military can inflict a powerful blow and counterattack with the dignity of our people,” he said.

“But unfortunately our dignity will not preserve lives,” he said.

In particular, he repeatedly emphasized successful negotiations, warning that this war would become a Third World War if these negotiation attempts failed.

Earlier, President Zelensky also expressed his intention to negotiate through a video address, saying, “The time has come to meet with Russia. It is time to talk.”

He also urged the Russian side to actively negotiate, saying, “If you do not agree to the negotiations, the losses on the Russian side will not be recovered even after several decades.”

Russia and Ukraine have been holding their fourth peace talks for several days.