Zelensky says excluding Kyiv from US-Russia talks about war is ‘very dangerous’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gestures as he speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Kyiv on Saturday (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said excluding his country from talks between the US and Russia about the war in Ukraine would be “very dangerous” and asked for more discussions between Kyiv and Washington to develop a plan for a ceasefire.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, Mr Zelensky said Russia does not want to engage in ceasefire talks or to discuss any kind of concessions, which the Kremlin interprets as losing at a time when its troops have the upper hand on the battlefield.