Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy via Telegram on Sunday of only trying to buy time by offering to abandon NATO membership aspirations while simultaneously turning to the alliance for assistance.

Zelenskyy said on Saturday that Ukraine is prepared to discuss with Russia the issues of rejecting NATO membership and the status of Crimea, but only after its troops are withdrawn from Ukrainian territory.