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UKRAINE will hold peace talks with Russia within hours if its troops pulls out of the country, president Volodymyr Zelensky said.
But he warned that dictator Vladimir Putin will not end the war – and has to be stopped in “any way we can”.
Zelensky agrees to hold peace talks with Russia if Vladimir Putin’s troops pull out of Ukraine[/caption] However, Zelensky warned that dictator Vladimir Putin will not end the war[/caption]His comments came at a peace summit in Switzerland where more than 80 countries signed a document blaming Moscow for the war – and committing to Ukraine’s right to defend its borders.
However, several countries attending the summit did not sign, including India, South Africa and Saudi Arabia.
Russia was not invited and its biggest backer, China, did not attend.
The purpose of the two day meeting was to get the broadest backing possible for a process that could help end the war in Ukraine.
The final document calls for the Russians to hand back the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to Ukraine.
It also describe’s Putin’s invasion as a “war”, a label rejected by Moscow.
It called for the exchange of all prisoners and the return of children abducted by Russia.
The most contentious topics, like the status of land under Russian occupation, will be left for later.
Speaking after the summit, Mr Zelensky told reporters: “Russia can start negotiations tomorrow if they pull out of our territories.”
Dutch PM Mark Rutte said: “We are totally united at a shared vision on principles, on values, on decency.
“You do not invade another country. You do not abduct children. You do not play politics with the world’s food supply. And you do not endanger nuclear safety.”