Zelenskyy says no need for Putin meeting if technical talks agree ceasefire

Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday a proposed meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin could be skipped if an agreement on a ceasefire between the two countries is agreed during technical talks in Istanbul.

The Ukrainian leader told a press conference in Ankara that if Moscow failed to show any willingness to engage in the ceasefire talks, then other nations should put more political and economic pressure on Russia and impose further sanctions.

"Russia does not feel that it needs to end (the war), which means there is not enough political, economic and other pressure on the Russian Federation," he said. "And so we ask, if there is no ceasefire, if there are no serious decisions ... we ask for appropriate sanctions."