Putin jokes Ukrainian president is not ‘Lord God’ & doesn’t have to ‘appear’ before him

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he wanted to discuss ending the conflict in Donbass with Ukraine’s president-elect Volodymyr Zelensky, but joked about the conditions under which the two leaders might meet.

“Vladimir Zelensky has not yet been elevated to the rank of saints, not the Lord God, and I hardly have to appear in any capacity before him,” Putin quipped in response to a question about what he will say to the future Ukrainian leader when he first “appears” before him.

He said that he was open to meeting with Zelensky but that the two leaders “must first talk about how to end the conflict in south-eastern Ukraine.”

The second round of Ukraine’s presidential elections were held on April 21, with Zelensky soundly defeating incumbent Petro Poroshenko. According to reports, Zelensky has expressed willingness to meet with his Russian counterpart – but wants French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to join the discussions.

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