Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a video address in Kyiv, Ukraine on March 6, 2022 in this still image taken from video. Photo: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS

i24 News – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that earlier in the day he suggested to Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett that Jerusalem host the ceasefire talks between Ukraine and Russia, according to Israeli reporter Barak Ravid.

The statement comes on the heals of harsh criticism of Bennett’s mediation efforts issued by a senior Ukrainian official, who spoke to i24NEWS on condition of anonymity.

Both Israel and Ukraine pushed back on the report, which claimed that Bennett tried to convince Zelensky to surrender to Russian demands.

Israel, “just as other conditional intermediary countries, does NOT offer Ukraine to agree to any demands of the Russian Federation,” Ukrainian adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter. “This is impossible for military & political reasons. On the contrary, Israel urges Russia to assess the events more adequately.”

Zelensky said on Saturday that he hopes for significant positive influence from Bennett’s involvement in the ceasefire talks with Russia.