Ukraine will quit negotiations with Russia if people in Mariupol are harmed: Zelenskyy
US Secretary of State, defense chief will travel Sunday to Kyiv, says Ukrainian president
Forces patrol in Mariupol, where the Russian Army has taken control, on April 22, 2022. One of the kindergartens - kindergarten No. 83 "Little Red Riding Hood" was stuffed with abandoned ammunition. ( Leon Klein - AA )
ANKARA
Ukraine will withdraw from negotiations with Russia if people in the Mariupol province are harmed and if referendums are held in the occupied territories, the country’s president said Saturday.
"If our men in Mariupol are killed, if pseudo-referendums are held in the occupied territories, Ukraine will withdraw from any negotiations," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a news convention in the capital Kyiv.
In response to a question by an Anadolu Agency reporter about whether it is possible to hold talks in Turkiye as long as discussions between the two leaders or delegations continue, he noted that all sorts of talks should focus only on concrete results.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine will take back all temporarily-occupied territories once it has enough weapons.
Mentioning the countries that want to be a mediator between the parties, he said among them, Turkiye has shown its wishes to be a leader in this regard.
"Turkey clearly states that it wants and is ready to be among the guarantor countries," said Zelenskyy.
'Blinken, Austin will travel Kyiv'
He went on to say that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will travel Sunday to Kyiv to hold talks with him.
"It is no longer possible for them to come to us empty-handed. We expect not only gifts and some cakes, but also special items and special tools. I believe we will reach a deal with the US or get part of the Ukrainian arms package that we have agreed upon so far," he said.
Also, touching on developments regarding Ukraine's integration process with NATO, he said his country would have been accepted into NATO
"It was a big mistake not to include Ukraine in NATO. Our membership in NATO would strengthen the alliance, it would be a guarantee that Russia would not start the war. This was a strategic mistake," he said.
At least 2,435 civilians have been killed and 2,946 injured in Ukraine since the war began Feb. 24, according to UN estimates, with the true figure believed to be much higher.
More than 5.1 million Ukrainians have fled to other countries, with over 7.7 million more internally displaced, said the UN refugee agency.
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