Zelensky claims that Putin aims to install his own "puppet" in Ukraine, similar to what he has done in Belarus and Georgia.

The head of the Ukrainian state made this statement in an interview with Piers Morgan, as reported by Ukrinform.

“It is clear that I do not suit them, because they need their puppet. They need someone who will govern Ukraine, and frankly, that was the case before the war, and it was the case earlier when they had the second party in our parliament. They completely controlled that party, influenced the Ukrainian parliament, and did everything to ensure that Ukraine never chose the European path, so that it would always remain under the thumb of the Russian Federation. Their desire is to install their person. To be honest, they basically want to do what they did in Chechnya, completely destroy it, and today it is part of their influence, their territories. They did this in Georgia. First, a frozen conflict, and then they installed their people to govern the state. They have always operated this way. They have done this, largely, in Belarus,” stated Zelensky.

He emphasized that Putin does not care who will be the president of Ukraine.

“The main thing is that it is a person who is against Western values, against the West, against the European Union, who will perceive NATO as an enemy, just as Russia does. Well, at least, the Kremlin does everything to make their society see NATO as an aggressor. Although it is certainly a defensive alliance that does not attack anyone,” the President underscored.

He recalled that before the full-scale invasion, he repeatedly tried to negotiate with Putin, but the Russian dictator did not need this, as his true goal is to destroy Ukraine and its independence.

“I really wanted to even contact Putin by phone; this was after our Normandy meeting (in December 2019 – ed.) several times. After we agreed on a ceasefire, which they violated, we had a few calls with Putin, and then he disappeared for more than a year. And he vanished for a year, and after that, the full-scale invasion began. Throughout this time, I reached out to everyone, I really wanted to talk to him, to have the opportunity to meet on any terms, to talk, without any conditions just to meet and start a dialogue about ending the war, restoring the ceasefire again. And most importantly then, before the full-scale invasion, the exchange of all prisoners, I wanted to bring our citizens back. What did his press secretary say then, and what did Putin say? And what can we talk about? There is nothing to talk about. We do not understand the reasons for the meeting. Ukraine is disrupting the ceasefire, although they were constantly shelling,” noted Zelensky.

He stressed that the Russians are neither ready nor willing to end the war.

“They do not want to end this war. Tomorrow they will say that they are ready for a direct meeting with Trump, that Ukraine is not needed for them, because this is not a war between Russia and Ukraine; it is just some operation, it is a global war of Russia against NATO, and NATO is the United States. We are ready to talk only with the United States, but all this is nonsense; they will look for reasons not to end this war. Because Putin's desire is only one thing: for us not to exist,” said the President.

As reported by Ukrinform, Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin fears direct negotiations with Ukraine, considering such actions a defeat and a sign of weakness.

Photo: OP