Russia will “cut itself off” from talks if POWs are put on trial in Donbass, Ukrainian president says
There will be no more peace talks with Russia if Ukrainian POWs are subjected to a “show trial,” Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has said.
Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) authorities previously said that they are planning tribunals for suspected war crimes committed by Ukrainian troops, including the Azov Battalion, whose ranks include fighters with openly nationalist and neo-Nazi views.
“If this despicable show trial takes place… This will be the line beyond which any negotiations are impossible. Russia will cut itself off from any negotiations,” Zelensky said in a video address early Monday, adding that such a trial would be a violation of international law.
Zelensky’s statement comes after photos appeared on social media allegedly showing large cages being installed on the stage of the Mariupol Philharmonic. Ukraine’s…
