
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that Russian forces should withdraw to pre-war positions as a preliminary step for diplomatic talks, a position moscow is highly unlikely to accept.
President Zelensky said he currently sees no will on Russia's part to resume serious negotiations for the outcome of the quarterly war.
"At first, an impression was created that we could move forward, that the talks could bring results. But it's all stuck," Mr. Zelensky said in a video link to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
He expressed willingness to negotiate directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but stressed that Moscow must make it clear that it intends to engage in serious talks.
Zelensky said the first step to demonstrating seriousness would be for Russia to withdraw its troops and equipment to positions before February 24, when Russian aggression began.
President Zelensky also made it clear that Ukraine's goal is to regain all lost territory.
"Ukraine will not surrender its territory. We are fighting in our country, on our land," he said.
Meanwhile, the governor of the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine, Serhiy Haidai, says at least six civilians have been killed and eight others injured by Russian shelling in the town of Sievierodonetsk over the past 24 hours. He accused Russian troops of deliberately targeting civilian shelters.
The city is located in Ukraine's eastern industrial heartof Donbas, where Russian forces are continuing their offensive despite Ukraine's fierce resistance.
Sievierodonetsk and neighbouring cities are the only part of the Luhansk region of Donbass still under the control of the Ukrainian government.
Meanwhile Russia said the strategic Ukrainian port of Mariupol, which Russian forces have already taken control of, has become functional after three months of fighting.
The military has completed clearing the port from landmines and it has been fully operational, Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said on Wednesday.