President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that the elimination of the last Ukrainian forces stuck in the besieged port of Mariupol will put a stop to discussions with Moscow.

“The elimination of our troops, of our men (in Mariupol) will put an end to any negotiations” between Ukraine and Russia, Zelensky said in an interview with the Ukrainska Pravda news website. “That will be an impasse as we don’t negotiate neither our territories nor our people.”