Ukraine won’t give up land for peace, says Zelensky

Russia must signal retreat before peace talks can resume, says Ukrainian president

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he will not give up his country’s land in return for an end to the war with Russia.

Negotiations for a peace deal cannot resume until Russia demonstrates it is willing to move its troops and equipment back “to the position before 24 February” when Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion, Mr Zelensky said in a video address to the World Economic Forum in Davos.

He said he would only be willing to discuss an end to hostilities with Mr Putin himself and not via intermediators, adding that a diplomatic way out of the conflict was possible if the Russian president “understands reality”.