Zelenskyy says current front lines should be the start for negotiations

Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking in Brussels on Sunday, said the current front lines in his country's war against Russia should be the basis for peace talks.

"We need real negotiations, which means we can start where the front line is now," Zelenskyy said, adding that European leaders supported this.

Zelenskyy was speaking ahead of a virtual meeting with European leaders and before he travels to Washington to meet with Donald Trump following the US leader's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.

Zelenskyy reiterated his position that it was necessary to establish a ceasefire in order to then negotiate a final deal.

"It's important that Washington is with us," the Ukrainian leader said. He will be accompanied by several European allies for Monday's talks with Trump.

Zelenskyy said that Ukraine did not yet know all the demands made by Putin at the meeting with Trump on Friday, adding that it would take a long time to go over them -- and that this was not possible under "the pressure of weapons".