Ukraine war: Zelenskyy ‘not interested’ in meeting ‘nobody’ Putin for peace talks
The Ukrainian president has told Sky News he is “not interested” in meeting Vladimir Putin for peace talks, describing him as a “nobody” who lives in an “information bubble” and does not really know what’s happening on the battlefield.
In an exclusive interview with Kay Burley, Volodymyr Zelenskyy also responded to speculation of a Russian offensive in Ukraine in the coming weeks, and recalled how he felt when he realised the invasion was beginning last year.
He said he “doesn’t understand who makes decisions in Russia” and while Moscow asks for peace, it then lies by attacking his country with missiles at night.
‘Chilling’ signs Putin has become ‘reckless and emotional’ – Ukraine latest
“They don’t want any talks, and this was the case before the invasion. President Putin decided so,” said Mr Zelenskyy.
“He doesn’t want negotiations because he doesn’t want peace.
“I am convinced that Ukraine is just the first step for him. I am convinced that he is waging a big war. And having the whole world helping Ukraine now – he is not thinking about that. He is thinking, ‘Well, it’s not working out in Ukraine now but we will wait… the world won’t stay united, they will get tired and I will move further’.
“But after Ukraine there will be further steps, there will be other countries, if we fail to withstand. I think we will manage, we will get support and we will win.”
Assassination attempts
Recalling the night of the Russian invasion almost a year ago, he described it as the start of a long, difficult day that has not yet come to a close.
“I remember there were explosions and calls in the night and I said [to my wife], ‘Get ready. You should get our children ready and tell them what’s going on and be prepared because it won’t be safe to stay in the president’s residence [where we had been living at the time]’.”
Asked how close the invading Russian forces got to him, the president said “nobody knows”.
“There were some people who were being detained in this district, this government district, and this is just a few kilometres from here,” he said.
“There was a lot of intelligence… And a lot of this intelligence suggested that I should move fast and I should go somewhere… Don’t believe it when they say that there have been dozens of attempts, and so on. I don’t know, maybe secret services know about that more.”
Putin ‘says one thing and does another’
When asked if a face-to-face meeting with Mr Putin would help to resolve the ongoing conflict, Mr Zelenskyy said: “It is not interesting for me. Not interesting to meet, not interesting to speak. Why? Because we had meeting with him in Normandy Format, it was before full-scale invasion. I saw the man who said one thing and then did another.
“I can’t understand – is it his decisions or somebody else? So to meet what, to shake hands? Not interesting. To speak? I really don’t understand who makes decisions in Russia.
“Who is he now? After full-scale invasion, for me he is nobody, nobody.”
A war-torn family
Mr Zelenskyy not only spoke of the toll of the war on his people, but also his family – and notably his 10-year-old son.
He revealed he rarely sees his wife and children, but when he does, they share a meal together and talk about the war.
“It’s a pity that I can’t see my children, once per… now it’s often than from the very beginning. Last two, three months we have once per 10 days I can see my children, one, two weeks, I see, have some food, have some talks and I can see my daughter because she’s a student from this year and that’s why I often see her than my son.
“He’s 10 years but he’s thinking like… it’s tragedy… it’s tragedy for all our families through Ukraine. All our children are adults. All of them. They speak about war, they speak about when we will win. They know it exactly. They know better than me I think.
“It’s tragedy they speak about it, not about children, not about their games between each other, not about soccer, no dialogues about soccer. That is the difference but we will change this situation I think soon.”
‘I’m proud of my people’
Asked about the number of Russian boys being sent to their deaths, Mr Zelenskyy said: “As a father I don’t understand how you can let your child go, realising that they are going to die whilst trying to take something that doesn’t belong to them.
“In other words, by letting your child go, you’re already making them a criminal. And this is a crime. This is murder. This is not self defence. This is murder, a deliberate murder. And they will have to be accountable for this. If they become war prisoners, they will have to accept responsibility for their actions, or, in any case, they will face judgment in front of God.
“But they are left behind, having died young, on our land because of the ambitions of President Putin, just one person.”
A comedian and actor before moving into politics, Mr Zelenskyy said of his own wellbeing: “I’m well, I’m strong, as are our people. Sometimes, a little bit sad when we have some attacks, and each day proud of our soldiers and our army… And of course first of all I’m proud of our people.
“I didn’t imagine before this war, before this job that I will have to do it so that’s fine for me. I’m okay, really okay.”
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Moment Zelenskyy learns tank news
‘Russians don’t count their war dead’
The city of Bakhmut, where Russia’s Wagner mercenaries and Ukrainian forces have been locked in battle, has witnessed months of fierce fighting.
As speculation of a Russian surge in southern and eastern Ukraine grows, Mr Zelenskyy said it is crucial for Ukrainian forces to be prepared for a possible wave of attacks.
He said: “It all depends on our defensive strength. It all depends on how much we can hold them back.
“In the east they are moving forward and losing a lot of people. It’s just an extraordinary number. They don’t care about it. I mean, they don’t count their people. This is a fact.
“We are counting their people. But we don’t have exact numbers. There are much more casualties from their side. But from what we have already seen and counted, there are thousands of people dead from their side, and they are just throwing them, and throwing them, and throwing them and throwing them.”
‘Thankful for tanks’
During the interview – filmed on Mr Zelenskyy’s 45th birthday – the Ukrainian president learnt that Germany had decided to send 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv after weeks of indecision.
He told Sky News that he was “very thankful” for the tanks but warned that the number and timing of their delivery was “critical”.
Washington also announced yesterday that it would send 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, with US President Joe Biden saying armoured capability has been “critical for Ukraine” and the US “will train Ukrainian troops as soon as possible”.
The UK became the first Western nation to promise main battle tanks when Rishi Sunak pledged 14 Challenger 2s this month.
The series of announcements of the modern battle tanks for Ukraine marks a significant blow to Mr Putin’s forces.
Mr Zelenskyy added: “For me, people are the number one priority. That’s why I don’t want to fight on Russian territory. I just want them to stop the war as quickly as possible, and leave our country as fast as possible.
“I can tell you for sure if they leave our territory the war will stop.”
World
Body of missing rabbi Zvi Kogan found in UAE – as Israeli PM says he was murdered in ‘antisemitic terror incident’
The COP29 climate talks have reached a last ditch deal on cash for developing countries, pulling the summit back from the brink of collapse after a group of countries stormed out of a negotiating room earlier.
The slew of deals finally signed off in the small hours of Sunday morning in Azerbaijan includes one that proved hardest of all – one about money.
Eventually the more than 190 countries in Baku agreed a target for richer polluting countries such as the UK, EU and Japan to drum up $300bn a year by 2035 to help poorer nations both curb and adapt to climate change.
It is a far cry from the $1.3trn experts say is needed, and from the $500bn that vulnerable countries like Uganda had said they would be willing to accept.
But in the end they were forced to, knowing they could not afford to live without it, nor wait until next year to try again, when a Donald Trump presidency would make things even harder.
Bolivia’s lead negotiator Diego Pacheco called it an “insult”, while the Marshall Islands’ Tina Stege said it was “not nearly enough, but it’s a start”.
UN climate chief Simon Stiell said: “This new finance goal is an insurance policy for humanity, amid worsening climate impacts hitting every country.
“No country got everything they wanted, and we leave Baku with a mountain of work still to do. So this is no time for victory laps.”
The funding deal was clinched more than 24 hours into overtime, and against what felt like all the odds.
The talks were rocked from the start by the incoming presidency of climate denier Mr Trump, the moment Argentina’s team were recalled back to Buenos Aires by their right-wing president and a controversial letter that sent shockwaves through the United Nations.
Pic: AP
The fraught two weeks of negotiations pitted the anger of developing countries who are footing the bill for more dangerous weather that they did little to cause, against the tight public finances of rich countries.
A relieved Juan Carlos Monterrey Gomez, climate envoy for Panama, said there is “light at the end of the tunnel”.
Just hours ago, the talks almost fell apart as furious vulnerable nations stormed out of negotiations in frustration over that elusive funding goal.
They were also angry with oil and gas producing countries, who stood accused of trying to dilute aspects of the deal on cutting fossil fuels.
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Climate-vulnerable nations storm out of talks
The UN talks work on consensus, meaning everyone has to agree for a deal to fly.
A row over how to follow up on last year’s pledge to “transition away from fossil fuels” was left unresolved and punted into next year, following objections from Chile and Switzerland for being too weak.
A draft deal simply “reaffirmed” the commitment but did not dial up the pressure in the way the UK, EU, island states and many others here wanted.
Saudi Arabia fought the hardest against any step forward on cutting fossil fuels, the primary cause of climate change that is intensifying floods, drought and fires around the world.
Governments did manage to strike a deal on carbon markets at COP29, which has been 10 years in the making and will allow countries to trade emissions cuts.
‘Not everything we wanted’
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The UK’s energy secretary, Ed Miliband, said the deal is “not everything we or others wanted”, but described it as a “step forward”.
“It’s a deal that will drive forward the clean energy transition, which is essential for jobs and growth in Britain and for protecting us all against the worsening climate crisis,” he added.
“Today’s agreement sends the signal that the clean energy transition is unstoppable.
“It is the biggest economic opportunity of the 21st century and through our championing of it we can help crowd in private investment.”
Protesters at the summit in Baku. Pic: AP
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The Azerbaijan team leading COP29 said: “Every hour of the day, we have pulled people together. Every inch of the way, we have pushed for the highest common denominator.
“We have faced geopolitical headwinds and made every effort to be an honest broker for all sides.”
At least 20 people have been killed and 66 injured in Israeli strikes on central Beirut, Lebanese authorities have said.
Lebanon‘s health ministry said the death toll could rise as emergency workers dig through the rubble looking for survivors. DNA tests are being used to identify the victims, the ministry added.
The attack destroyed an eight-storey residential building and badly damaged several others around it in the Basta neighbourhood at 4am (2am UK time) on Saturday.
The central Basta neighbourhood in Beirut
The Israeli military did not warn residents to evacuate before the attack and has not commented on the casualties.
At least four bombs were dropped in the attack – the fourth targeting the city centre this week.
A separate drone strike in the southern port city of Tyre this morning killed two people and injured three, according to the state-run National News Agency.
The victims were Palestinian refugees from the nearby al Rashidieh camp who were out fishing, according to Mohammed Bikai, spokesperson for the Fatah Palestinian faction in the Tyre area.
Israel’s military warned residents today in parts of Beirut’s southern suburbs that they were near Hezbollah facilities, which the army would target in the near future. The warning, posted on X, told people to evacuate at least 500 metres away.
The army said that over the past day it had conducted intelligence-based strikes on Hezbollah targets in Dahiyeh, in Beirut’s southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a strong presence. It said it hit several command centres and weapons storage facilities.
Pic: AP
Israel has killed several Hezbollah leaders in air strikes on the capital’s southern suburbs.
Heavy fighting between Israel and Hezbollah is ongoing in southern Lebanon, as Israeli forces push deeper into the country since launching a major offensive in September.
According to the Lebanese health ministry, at least 3,670 people have been killed in Israeli attacks there, with more than 15,400 wounded.
It has displaced about 1.2 million people – a quarter of Lebanon’s population – while Israel says about 90 soldiers and nearly 50 civilians have been killed in northern Israel.
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‘Dozens’ of Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrike
Meanwhile, six people, including three children and two women, were killed in the southern Gazan city of Khan Younis.
Some 44,176 Palestinians have been killed since the start of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, according to the Gaza health ministry.
The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count, but it has said that more than half of the fatalities are women and children.
The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking another 250 hostage.
US envoy Amos Hochstein was in the region this week to try to end more than 13 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, ignited last October by the war in Gaza.
Mr Hochstein indicated progress had been made after meetings in Beirut on Tuesday and Wednesday, before going to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence minister Israel Katz.
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