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Zelensky ready for talks with Putin, Trump - campaign team spokesman

"There is not a single person who would be ready to hold such difficult talks without preparations," Zelensky campaign team spokesman Alexander Danilyuk told

Vladimir Zelensky AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti

Vladimir Zelensky

© AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti

KIEV, April 2. /TASS/. Leader of the Servant of the People political party Vladimir Zelensky is ready to hold talks with presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Donald Trump of the US if elected president, Zelensky campaign team spokesman Alexander Danilyuk told Ukraine’s ICTV.

"He is definitely ready," he said in response to a question. "I would like to address those who say that Vladimir Zelensky is incompetent: let us have a look at his team and assess its competence, then there will be no more questions," Danilyuk added.

"There is not a single person who would be ready to hold such difficult talks without preparations. If we talk about talks on resolving the situation in eastern Ukraine, there is a need to thoroughly work on any possible initiatives within the Minsk process," the spokesman pointed out.

The first round of the Ukrainian presidential election was held on March 31. With over 95% of ballots counted across the country, Zelensky remains in the lead with 30.22% of the vote, followed by incumbent President Pyotr Poroshenko, who garnered 15.94%. Leader of the Batkivshchina (or Fatherland) party Yulia Timoshenko came in third with 13.39%.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Central Election Commission officially declared that neither candidate would be able to win the 50-percent majority of the vote and a runoff election would take place on April 21. So, based on the preliminary data, Zelensky and Poroshenko are headed towards the runoff.

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Russian forces break through Ukrainian defense lines in Kharkov Region — expert

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South Korea to inspect all Boeing 737-800s after Jeju Air plane crash

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Germany seen defenseless against Russia’s Oreshnik missile system — report

Bild said the German Foreign Ministry commissioned an internal government analysis on defense from ballistic missiles

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Russian troops liberate Novoelenovka settlement in Donetsk People's Republic

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Trade turnover between Russia, Thailand to be about $2 bln as of 2024 year-end

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Azerbaijan toughens rules of stay for Russian citizens

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Ukrainian forces attack Kherson region hospital with drone, chief doctor seriously injured

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Dollar exchange rate surges by almost 6% surpassing 111 rubles on Forex

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Slovak PM calls on EU to pay urgent attention to Ukraine's decision to halt gas transit

Robert Fico stated that the EU's governing bodies had not adequately evaluated the negative consequences of halting gas transit through Ukraine

Chinese embassy tells US to stop smearing Beijing in cybersecurity affairs

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North Korea’s Kim Jong Un wishes to Putin, Russia that 2025 be year of ‘great victory’

The North Korean leader said he was sending the wishes on behalf of himself, the Korean people and all the service personnel of the country’s armed forces

Russia updates record for rice harvest surpassing 1.2 mln tons — Agriculture Ministry

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FACTBOX: It’s all about the tree: How Russia celebrates New Year

The main New Year’s tree celebration takes place in the State Kremlin Palace

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Kazakh president warns against misinformation, provocations about plane crash near Aktau

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Russian Su-35S jets cover combat aircraft in air strikes on Ukrainian troops in Kursk area

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The American president also said the US Department of Defense is in the process of delivering hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds and thousands of missiles to Kiev

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Ukrainian troops leave their positions in Shevchenko near Krasnoarmeysk

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US to shut down federal agencies, departments on January 9 to honor Jimmy Carter’s memory

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The Carter Center confirms death of former US president Jimmy Carter

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Putin establishes scholarship for Olympic athletes, coaches

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Russian units attack Ukrainian troops near Kurakhovo power plant in DPR — republic’s head

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Court issues warrant to detain impeached South Korean president — agency

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