UKRAINIAN President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected Russia’s offer to hold negotiations in Belarus, suggesting alternative cities including Budapest and Warsaw for talks.

Zelensky made the remarks in a video address posted on his Telegram channel yesterday shortly after the Kremlin announced that a Russian delegation has arrived in Belarus and will be ready to negotiate with Ukraine in the city of Gomel.

The president said Ukraine is ready for talks with Russia, but Belarus is not an option because Russia has been carrying out some of its attacks from Belarus. “We’re saying no to Minsk. Other cities can be a place to meet,” he said.

“We want peace, we want to meet, we want the end of the war ... Any other city would suit us, any country, from whose territory missiles are not launched at us,” Zelensky said, adding that Ukraine has proposed meeting in other countries such as Poland, Hungary, Turkey and Azerbaijan, but Russia has so far refused.

In another development, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 975 Ukrainian military infrastructure objects since the start of operations, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said yesterday.

Russia continued its strike against Ukraine’s military infrastructure Saturday using air- and sea-launched cruise missiles, Konashenkov told a regular briefing, reiterating that the Russian military takes all measures to ensure the safety of civilians.

The Russian armed forces have completely blockaded the cities of Kherson and Berdyansk in southern Ukraine, he said.

(Xinhua)