Zelenskyy voices red lines for Ukraine in peace talks with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated what exactly are the red lines for Ukraine in potential peace talks with Russia.

Answering a question about red lines for Ukraine at a press conference with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Zelenskyy said he could not voice all of them, but noted several key points.

"Not to lose the independence and sovereignty of our state, and to ensure that Russia never in its life has any influence on the independence of Ukrainians," the Ukrainian president stressed.

He added that he does not want to discuss with Russia "what our [Ukrainian] army should be like" or "discuss economic security guarantees, where the main guarantee is the EU".

Zelenskyy also mentioned the thousands of prisoners held by Russia, including not only military personnel but also journalists, political prisoners and civilians.

"They should all be with their Ukrainian families. And those whom they tortured, we must get them to their families. Even those who died. These are unconditional things. And those territories that are temporarily occupied will never become Russian," Zelenskyy concluded.

Meanwhile, Stubb said that Europe's red line in peace talks with Russia is that it should not be able to repeat its aggression in the future.

He also said that Finland's experience shows that Ukraine should never agree to Russia's terms, which would mean the loss of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Moreover, at the press conference, President Zelenskyy acknowledged that territorial issues would be raised in the peace talks but stressed that this was a red line for Ukraine.