Ukraine's Zelensky offers to meet Putin for first talks

KIEV: Ukraine's recently elected President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday offered to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for their first talks, calling for Western leaders to mediate.

"Now I want to address the Russian President Vladimir Putin. We need to talk? We do. Let's do it," Zelensky said in a video address.

The former comic actor who was elected with a landslide in April's presidential polls called for a meeting with the Russian strongman that would involve US President Donald Trump and other Western leaders.

He proposed discussing Russian-annexed Crimea and the conflict in eastern Ukraine where Ukrainian forces are battling Russian-backed separatists.

Zelensky said on his inauguration in May that ending the war in the east and returning the annexed territory to Ukraine were his priority.