Zelensky sees Jerusalem as possible venue for his meeting with Putin

KYIV. March 12 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has mentioned Israel as a possible venue for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Zelensky also positively spoke of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's mediation in settling issues of peace between Ukraine and Russia.

"I have spoken with Naftali Bennett. I told him as well that I consider it wrong, unconstructive to meet in Ukraine, Russia or Belarus. These are not the places where we can reach understanding. I am speaking not about technical meetings, but about a meeting between the leaders. Do I think that Israel, especially Jerusalem, could become such a venue? Yes, I do," Zelensky said at a meeting with representatives of foreign media outlets in Kyiv on Saturday.

"As regards Israel and Prime Minister Bennett's mediation, we, on the whole, treat it positively. I myself positively treat anyone's mediation... But I don't call Bennett 'anyone', as I believe that he can play an important role, first and foremost because Israel is an important country. It has a lot of history and parallels. It has seen large-scale migration of Jews from Ukraine, Russia... I believe that, from a historical standpoint, it is very good to have such mediation," he said.

Furthermore, Israel should become one of the guarantors of Ukraine's security, Zelensky said.