Zelensky began negotiations with a mistake: He wanted to sit in Putin’s place
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky mixed up the seats during the round table seating of the leaders of the Normandy Four countries at the Elysee Palace in Paris, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
Upon entering the hall, the President of Ukraine went to the chair that had been prepared for Russian President Vladimir Putin, but French leader Emmanuel Macron motioned Zelensky to his chair on the other side of the table.
(The seating arrangement was prepared in advance so that members of the Ukrainian delegation were on the chairs behind Zelensky, and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and presidential assistant Vladislav Surkov were behind Putin).
Zelensky spread his hands, showing that he understood the mistake, took a seat, then turned to the journalists in the hall, greeted the press present in English and nervously drank water.
Zelensky then began leafing through the papers prepared on the table, preparing to begin his speech. But Putin stopped him.
“Now everyone will come out and we’ll talk,” the Russian leader said across the table, smiling at Zelensky, glancing at the press.
When Putin and Zelensky entered the meeting room, Angela Merkel was between them. Therefore, it is still not clear whether the handshake between the presidents of Russia and Ukraine took place.
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