Zelenskyy briefs Trudeau as ceasefire talks with Russia to resume in Turkey

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave Prime Minister Justin Trudeau an update Monday on new ceasefire talks with Russia that are being held amid Ukrainian claims of military gains against Russian forces.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave Prime Minister Justin Trudeau an update Monday on new ceasefire talks with Russia that are being held amid Ukrainian claims of military gains against Russian forces.

Zelenskyy told Russian media before the scheduled negotiations in Turkey that Ukraine is prepared to declare neutrality, which would be a concession to Russian President Vladimir Putin's demand that the Kyiv government abandon its ambition to join the NATO military alliance.

But Zelenskyy has made clear that Ukraine would need guarantees from Russia, which invaded the country on Feb. 24, displacing millions in the worst carnage on European soil since the Second World War. On Twitter, Zelenskyy said said he discussed co-operation with Trudeau on "defence and sanctions pressure."

"Informed about the crimes of Russia and the course of the negotiation process," the Ukrainian leader added. "I'm grateful for the willingness to consider additional macro-financial assistance for Ukraine."

Prior to the talks with Russia, Zelenskyy also said he was open to compromise on the future of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, which the Kremlin has claimed as its territory and where eight years of fighting prior to the recent Russian invasion left 14,000 dead.

The Russian advance on Kyiv appeared stalled as the mayor of Irpin, a northeastern suburb of the Ukrainian capital, said his town had been liberated from Russian forces. Earlier this month, images of dead Ukrainian civilians, including a mother and two children, emerged from Irpin.