I'm a little bit upset that the United States has agreed to hold these negotiations with Russia without us," said Zelenskyy. "You need to keep in mind that we are not only participants but also victims." Zelenskyy's office said he would speak by phone Tuesday with European Council President Donald Tusk and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The Ukrainian president has called for international observers at any such talks. "I have no doubt that the Russian side will do everything possible to manipulate such a format," Zelenskyy said in an interview broadcast on Sunday, adding that Kyiv would be ready only if its territorial integrity was respected.? Moscow denies it is trying to annex eastern Ukraine, saying it has been assisting Russian-speakers in the region. However Putin said on Tuesday that he favored "a compromise with Kiev," and could agree on a special status for Donbas and Crimea that would allow them to keep their own constitutions or have dual legislative procedures. A total of 9,000 people have died since fighting began in April last year when pro-Russian rebels seized control of key towns in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian government has been hit by corruption scandals while the economy suffered a blow after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014. In Moscow, Putin said that his country wanted peace talks with Kyiv to succeed and would "be ready for all options," adding: "We need to work hard." On the eve of Trump's inauguration, Putin signed into law sweeping new measures that critics say are aimed at silencing critics of the government by criminalizing their activities.

I'm a little bit upset that the United States has agreed to hold these negotiations with Russia without us," said Zelenskyy. "You need to keep in mind that we are not only participants but also victims." Zelenskyy's office said he would speak by phone Tuesday with European Council President Donald Tusk and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The Ukrainian president has called for international observers at any such talks. "I have no doubt that the Russian side will do everything possible to manipulate such a format," Zelenskyy said in an interview broadcast on Sunday, adding that Kyiv would be ready only if its territorial integrity was respected.? Moscow denies it is trying to annex eastern Ukraine, saying it has been assisting Russian-speakers in the region. However Putin said on Tuesday that he favored "a compromise with Kiev," and could agree on a special status for Donbas and Crimea that would allow them to keep their own constitutions or have dual legislative procedures. A total of 9,000 people have died since fighting began in April last year when pro-Russian rebels seized control of key towns in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian government has been hit by corruption scandals while the economy suffered a blow after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014. In Moscow, Putin said that his country wanted peace talks with Kyiv to succeed and would "be ready for all options," adding: "We need to work hard." On the eve of Trump's inauguration, Putin signed into law sweeping new measures that critics say are aimed at silencing critics of the government by criminalizing their activities.