KIEV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that his country may submit the subject of neutral status to a public referendum,  the Ukrinform news reports.

"We are ready to discuss this neutral status for Ukraine," Zelensky said Russia's request for Ukraine's neutral status is one of the requirements of the agreements on ending the conflict.The referendum would only be possible once Ukraine received security guarantees from "particular countries", he said.

Kiev suggested signing a new international treaty on security guarantees with Russia in Istanbul, Turkey in March, which enshrines requirements for guarantor countries to support Ukraine with military aid in the case of an attack.

The Ukrainian parliament renounced Ukraine's "non-aligned" status in 2014 in order to strengthen ties with NATO. During a phone discussion with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin asked Western countries to stop supplying Ukraine with arms.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin briefed Macron on Russia's attempts to evacuate civilians from Mariupol, Kremlin said. Putin asked Western countries to cease arming Kiev, stating that Russia is willing to talk.In response to Macron's worries, Putin stated that Western sanctions on Russia are increasing global food poverty.

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