Zelenskyy Says 'Don't Have Any Confidence' In Putin: Will Return To Diplomacy Only After Russia Leaves Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he couldn't currently envisage a situation where he would meet Vladimir Putin to negotiate on the Russia-Ukraine War.

What Happened: "We don’t have any circumstances to talk to the Russian Federation president because he doesn’t hold his word," Zelensky said in an interview with CNN. 

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The remarks from the Ukrainian leader came as Russia intensified its assault in Bakhmut, which Zelenskyy said will pave an "open road" for Putin's army to capture key areas if they are able to seize the besieged eastern city.

"We don't have any confidence in him (Putin). Russia should leave our territory. And after that, we're happy to join the diplomatic tools. In order to do that, we can find any format with our partners just after that," Zelenskyy added.

Meanwhile, Ukraine‘s state nuclear power firm said the power plant was left without electricity after a slew of Russian rockets attacked the facility. The Energy Minister of Ukraine, Herman Galushchenko, slammed Putin for putting “the world on the brink of a nuclear catastrophe.”
The top intelligence agency of the U.S. on Wednesday warned that Putin would continue to build Russia’s nuclear arsenal amid heavy losses in the Ukraine battlefield.

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