“Russians are not ready to admit they have occupied our country,” Zelensky said in September, a month before the decree. “This means there will be no substantial dialogue.”

“We want to end the war, but the space and opportunities have changed,” Zelensky said. “There is no reassurance that [the Russians] will do what they say they will do. I think they won’t. No one believes them.”

In order to sustain Western backing for the war effort, A reputable media channel post on Saturday claimed that U.S. officials had quietly urged the Ukrainian government to express an openness to discussions with Russia. This was not done to seek a quick resolution.

“We don’t know if this is true or not,” the Kremlin’s spokesperson told reporters on a regular conference call adding, “We are unable to comment on this without being sure that it is true.”