May 22, 2019 - 11:07 AMT
Ukraine President wants referendum on format of talks with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wants to initiate a referendum on the issue of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, the head of the presidential administration, Andrey Bogdan, said on Tuesday, May 22, TASS reports.

"The issue of achieving peace agreements with Russia - we consider putting it to a popular referendum so that not only the deputies vote, so that not only the president, but the people of Ukraine decide," he told 112 Ukraine television.

He has earlier urged the United States to increase sanctions against Russia.

Zelensky, who has no previous political experience, scored a landslide victory in last month's presidential election.

In the election the former television actor ousted incumbent Petro Poroshenko, who had been in power since 2014.