Volodymyr Zelensky has launched a scathing attack on Vladimir Putin after the latest round of peace talks in Geneva failed to yield a breakthrough. The Ukrainian president took to social media and gave an interview to British journalist Piers Morgan, expressing his frustration with what he sees as deliberate stalling tactics by Russia.
“I don't need historical shit to end this war and move to diplomacy. Because it's just a delay tactic. I read no less history books than Putin,” Zelensky wrote on X. His comments came after talks with Moscow and Washington ended abruptly in under two hours, dashing hopes for a peace deal.
Kyiv has repeatedly criticised the Russian delegation, led by ultraconservative historian Vladimir Medinsky, for delivering lengthy historical lectures. Zelensky told Morgan he has “nothing personal” against Putin but cannot trust someone who has “killed so many people in Ukraine”. He added that only direct talks between leaders could resolve the territorial issues.
“I know more about his country than he knows about Ukraine. Simply because I have been to Russia – to many cities. And I knew a lot of people there. He has never been to Ukraine this many times. He was only in big cities. I went to small cities,” Zelensky said.
After Wednesday's brief talks, Zelensky described the third round of direct meetings as “difficult” and accused Russia of deliberately stalling. Medinsky agreed the talks were tough and invited Ukraine for closed-door discussions without American mediation.
