The President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenskysummoned the international press to a conference in which Infobae participated and consulted on the role of the Pope Francisco in the conflict, criticized a few weeks ago for his refusal to directly condemn Russia.“I want Pope Francis to come to kyiv to unblock the humanitarian corridors in Mariupol,” he assured Infobae.
“That is exactly the request we have made of him. There are some signs but we are waiting. We are waiting for him because he has a mission assigned by the Lord and many people trust him,” said the Ukrainian president.
According to Zelensky, every time Francis prays or talks regarding the dramatic situation of the Ukrainians, he is expressing his support. “I am grateful for that,” he added.
“I wish the Pope might come to kyiv. We met in the past. I ask for his support to help in the besieged Mariupol and for a ceasefire to save lives, ”he insisted when asked by Infobae regarding whether he had spoken with Francisco.
Zelensky did not reveal, however, if he had spoken with Francisco since Russia began its offensive, but he did say that he knows him. “I think he should fight for every person,” he assured.
“The only one who can end this war is the one who started it.Zelensky said when asked regarding possible talks with Putin. “I have insisted from the beginning to have negotiations with the leader of the Russian Federation because I believe that any meeting through mediators will not give the desired effect.”. And when he was asked regarding the possibility of his being assassinated, he stated categorically: “I’m not afraid to meet Putin or be killed”.
The president also revealed that this Sunday the US Secretary of State will visit Ukraine, Antony Blinken. “Tomorrow American officials will come to visit us: I will meet with the Minister of Defense [Lloyd Austin] and with Anthony Blinken“, said. It will be the first official visit by members of the US government since February 24.
Responding to questions regarding whether he was afraid to meet Putin, given that members of an informal Russo-Ukrainian negotiating group had suffered symptoms of poisoning, Zelensky called those “assassination attempts”; and he said his security team and his family were worried regarding it, but he mightn’t be. “I’m not afraid of meeting with the president or assassination attempts”, he insisted.
“I have no right to be afraid because our people have shown that they are not afraid of anything. They fear for their children, that is true, but the people stopped the tanks with their bare hands”, he continued.
He then stated that his country will abandon negotiations with Russia if Moscow kills Ukrainian soldiers barricaded in a giant Mariupol steelworks.
“If our men are killed in Mariupol and if so-called referendums are organized in the Kherson region, Ukraine will withdraw from the entire negotiation processZelensky stressed.
Earlier, the Ukrainian head of state insisted that equipping the Ukrainian troops with the necessary weapons is the highest priority of the statewhile thanked the support received by its partnersnoting that the invasion of Ukraine is only the beginning and that Russia wants to invade other countries.
“Like every morning, like every day, like every followingnoon, today we pay the utmost attention to providing our soldiers with all the weapons they needZelensky was quoted as saying by the agency. Ukrinformin a video message.
He added that “this is task number one” for the state.
“And I thank all our partners who finally listened to us, who give us what we ask forbecause we know for sure that with these weapons we will be able to save the lives of thousands of people and we can show the occupiers that the day is coming when they will be forced to leave Ukraine,” he said.
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