Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned on Friday that peace talks with President Vladimir Putin can't proceed till Russian troops have retreated to their pre-invasion positions, which he mentioned is the "minimal" that Kyiv expects.

Zelensky addressed a digital assembly of the British Chatham Home suppose tank on Friday, telling attendees that Ukraine desires to "regain our territories" and that his nation has "a shiny future," regardless of "the cruelty of the Russian forces."

The president mentioned his precedence is the "integrity of our borders" and the flexibility of all displaced individuals to return to their houses.

"I used to be elected by the individuals of Ukraine as president of Ukraine, not as president of a mini-Ukraine of some sort," Zelensky mentioned to a query about Kyiv's circumstances for a peace deal with Russia.

"This can be a essential level, and I would love us to appreciate we want some preparations when it comes to talks to cease the killing."

"We are able to use diplomatic channels to regain our territories," the president mentioned. The minimal Zelensky's authorities expects, he mentioned, is to return to "the safety of the state of affairs as of the twenty third of February," in the future earlier than Russia's newest invasion.

"They need to fall again and transcend the contact strains, and they need to withdraw the troops," Zelensky mentioned. "In that state of affairs, we'll have the ability to begin discussing issues usually. However for them to withdraw, they need to say one thing and we now have to start out speaking.

"I notice that although they destroyed all our bridges, I feel not all of the bridges are but destroyed, figuratively talking."

This can be a creating story and can be up to date as extra data turns into out there.

Volodymyr Zelensky speaks with media in Kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses a press convention with worldwide media in an underground metro station in Kyiv on April 23, 2022.GENYA SAVILOV/AFP by way of Getty Pictures