Ready to negotiate with Russia to end war: Zelensky

In a video address to the nation last night, Zelensky reacted to a statement by the Deputy Chief of the Russian General Staff, Colonel General Sergei Rudskoi, that the Russian military would now make the liberation of the Donbass its main goal.

Russia-backed separatists took control of Ukraine’s eastern Donbass region in 2014, and Russian forces are struggling to take control of Mariupol.

Rudskoi said in his statement that Russia would now try to intensify the struggle again to regain control of Kyiv and other major cities where Russian action has been stalled.

Zelensky said Russian forces had lost thousands of their soldiers but failed to take control of the capital Kyiv or Kharkiv, the second largest city.