(Refiles to change spelling of Zelenskiy’s first name to Ukrainian version of name Volodymyr)
MOSCOW, Oct 3 (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy must complete the peace process in eastern Ukraine in order to prove himself as a strong politician, Russian leader Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.
“The people are waiting for this issue to be resolved and if he musters enough political courage and strength to complete it, I think he will prove himself as an honest politician, strong and capable of implementing the decisions that have been made,” Putin said of his Ukrainian counterpart while speaking at a conference in Russia. “I think he genuinely wants to do this.” (Reporting by Andrey Ostroukh Writing by Olzhas Auyezov)