Ukraine's president has stressed his determination to seek a diplomatic solution despite Russia's mass killings of civilians.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy was interviewed by the Associated Press at his presidential office in Kyiv on Saturday.

Zelenskyy said, "No one wants to negotiate with a person or people who tortured this nation." But he added, "We don't want to lose opportunities, if we have them, for a diplomatic solution."

The Ukrainian president asked for more military support, saying, "The negotiation table will be closer. And we will have advantages in the dialogue with the Russian Federation" if the positions in Mariupol and the eastern region of Ukraine are stronger.