In an interview with African media, Zelenskyi recalled that when the Russian invading forces invaded Ukraine and approached Kyiv, the Ukrainian authorities refused to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin based on his ultimatums. "When he ordered the murder of me, my family and my entourage - we said that this ultimatum would not pass either," Zelenskyy said.
According to the president of Ukraine, there were several moments with Russian ultimatums, but the Ukrainian authorities demanded from Russia not to speak in the language of ultimatums. At the same time, the head of state explained why he will not talk to Putin.
As Zelensky said, everyone was ready to accept that the end of the war is possible in the format of diplomacy with respect for Ukrainian sovereignty, but after Buchi's release, mass violent murders of tortured civilians began. "Who is ready to talk to this maniac? And then we said that the time will come, and the war will end diplomatically anyway, but to talk to this man - sorry, he has blood up to his elbows," Zelenskyy said. "Russia said - we are ready to talk. At the same time, it seized a nuclear plant and cut us off from electricity in the winter. There has been no blackout on this continent in the last 100 years. The last blackout was under Hitler, under fascism. And they say, how can we compare? That's why that he is doing the same thing that Hitler did," Zelensky emphasized.
The President of Ukraine added that the methods of capture by the Russian army were the same as those used by fascist Germany, but Putin failed to take Kyiv. "In every village that we de-occupied, in every subsequent one there were mass burials of tortured Ukrainians. In every one without exception. And with every step they said, how can we communicate with him? And the partners who wanted us to communicate, with every step everything became less, because fewer and fewer people believed in the fact that he is the president, and more and more realized that he is just a sadist," Zelensky emphasized.
The President of Ukraine also gave an example of a peaceful initiative to deliver grain to other countries, which Russia is blocking. "It depends on whether there will be famine in some of your states? Yes. Why is he blocking? Because he is a fascist," Zelenskyy said.