Fico says Zelenskyy should call Putin directly if he wants peace talks

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should personally call Russian President Vladimir Putin if he is interested in negotiations to end the war.

Speaking after his visit to Moscow, Fico said he had conveyed a message from Zelenskyy to Putin.

“He [Zelenskyy] told me during our personal meeting in Armenia that he is ready to meet Vladimir Putin in any format,” the Slovak PM stated.

Fico also publicly shared what he described as Putin’s response to the Ukrainian President’s message.

“If the President of Ukraine is interested in a meeting, he should call his Russian colleague,” Fico said.

The Slovak PM also welcomed the extension of the ceasefire until 11 May.

“I would call a ceasefire absolutely necessary in order to create space for what is also absolutely necessary — diplomatic efforts, dialogue and negotiations, which are a thousand times more useful than killing each other,” he said.