The possible destruction of the Ukrainian military and civilians who currently remain on the territory of the Azovstal plant in Mariupol by the Russian occupiers can put an end to any diplomatic negotiations with the Russian side. This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a video meeting at the Royal Institute of International Affairs Chatham House (UK).
"If they kill people who can now be exchanged if they are military, or released if they are civilians, or helped if they are wounded military or civilians, there will be nothing to talk about with them at the diplomatic level," the Head of State emphasized.
According to him, today, thanks to the efforts of Ukraine, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations, we finally managed to find a format for the evacuation of civilians from the blocked Azovstal plant.
The President stated that Mariupol was completely destroyed.
According to him, the blockade of the city by the Russian occupiers is a deliberate step, a manifestation of hatred and terrorism. The information and propaganda machine of the Russian Federation is primarily responsible for such cruelty, and this problem still needs to be addressed.
"They nurtured such hatred before the full-scale war. They have been doing this for many years, and now it all results in such tortures," the President of Ukraine summed up.