Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that if Ukrainians in the besieged city of Mariupol were killed by Russian forces and if Russia held "pseudo referendums" in the occupied territories, Ukraine would suspend negotiations with Russia.

He also reiterated his readiness to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying "I have no right to be afraid," as the Ukrainian people have shown that they are not afraid of the Russian military.

"As for the topic of the meeting with the president of Russia, yes, I would like the end of the war to begin.

There is a diplomatic route, but there are also military routes.

So any healthy and reasonable person always chooses the diplomatic path because he or she knows that this way he can stop the loss of tens of thousands of lives.

"And with such neighbors, hundreds of thousands and maybe millions," he told a news conference at an underground subway station.

You can watch it yourself https://t.co/SimVpoTLia

- @Newsmined (@newsmined) April 23, 2022

Zelensky said he was "not afraid" to meet with Putin, adding that it was difficult to trust the Russian state.

"I do not trust Russia.

These are not synonyms, they are antonyms: Russia and Faith.

"When they say something, their words do not match their actions," Zelensky said.

We emphasize that the 44-year-old is expected to meet the next day (Sunday) with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.

Otherwise, the Ukrainian authorities have announced today that they have killed two other Russian generals in Kherson.