Ukraine wants direct talks between Zelenskiy and Russia's Putin, says foreign minister

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Monday said Ukraine wanted direct talks between President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Russia's Vladimir Putin because Kyiv knows Putin is the person calling the shots in Moscow.

"We have long wanted a direct conversation between the president of Ukraine and Vladimir Putin, because we all understand that it is he who makes the final decisions, especially now," he said in a live television broadcast.

"Our president is not scared of anything, including a direct meeting with Putin," Kuleba added. "If Putin is also not scared, let him come to the meeting, let them sit down and talk."

Reporting by Natalia Zinets Writing by Alessandra Prentice Editing by Leslie Adler

REUTERS