Ukraine will abandon negotiations with Russia forever if a trial of Ukrainian prisoners of war is held in Mariupol. Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated this in an address.
“Now there are enough reports in the media that the scenery is being prepared in Mariupol for an absolutely disgusting and absurd trial of Ukrainian defenders, of our soldiers who are captured by the invaders… If this vile trial happens, if our people are in violation of all agreements, all international rules, lead into these scenery, there will be a mockery … This will be the line along which any negotiations are impossible. Russia will cut itself off from negotiations. There will be no more talk. Our state has said everything,” he said.
Earlier, there were reports in the media and pro-government Telegram channels that they were going to hold a show trial for Ukrainian prisoners of war in Mariupol. For this, as stated , metal cages for the defendants were built near the Mariupol Philharmonic.
Earlier, Zelensky said that Ukraine would not negotiate with Russia if it held "referendums" on its occupied parts of Ukraine on joining its territory.
Russia and Ukraine held their last face-to-face talks at the end of March in Istanbul, after which it was planned to resume them, but this never happened. The parties accused each other of disrupting the negotiations.