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‘Chasm’ lies between Ukrainians, Russians, yet time may normalize ties, says Zelensky

Nevertheless, Vladimir Zelensky thinks that time may reverse this negative trend

KIEV, September 10. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky asserts that Ukrainians and Russians "have become enemies", and there is a "chasm" between them now, however, he does admit that these ties may normalize with time. He expressed this opinion during a forum dubbed YES Brainstorming on Friday.

"There are no relations. And who are we now? We have become enemies. Just imagine this chasm, this distance," the Ukrainian president insisted.

Nevertheless, he thinks that time may reverse this negative trend. "Nobody understands how to overcome this, [or how to] turn back. Only the time knows how much energy is needed to be spent on this," the president noted. Still, he hoped that the good would prevail and that "everything will return - territories, people, and, probably, relations."

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin during the annual Direct Line stated that Ukraine was not included in the list of countries unfriendly to Russia and that he did not consider the Ukrainian people unfriendly, The Russian president emphasized that he considered the Ukrainians and Russians as one people.

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Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, April 19th

FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

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