BERLIN - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday that there was a shrinking likelihood of holding talks with Vladimir Putin to end the war, adding that it could only happen if the Russian leader withdrew his forces from Ukrainian territory.

Speaking via a translator in an interview with Germany's BILD TV, Zelenskiy said that Ukraine had no influence on when Putin's rule in Russia would end but wanted to speak to Moscow from a position of strength.

Zelenskiy also repeated calls for Germany to supply weapons and air defence systems to Ukraine, saying they were needed to save lives.

(Reporting by Matthias Williams, Editing by Gareth Jones)