Zelensky Seeks New Negotiation Venue: Karosta Cultural Center Said to Be Available

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced he's looking for a safe place for upcoming talks with Russia, as Abu Dhabi has apparently become too dangerous due to rockets and drones. In Liepāja, this news was received with understanding - after all, what could be safer than a place where people have been living peacefully for years with constant 20 meters per second winds and where local trams only run when they feel like it.

"If he's looking for an alternative, let him try Karosta," comments local resident Jānis. "The Russian army has already been there, now there can be diplomacy too. Plus - if someone starts acting crazy, we'll just take them to the Northern Fort to look at the prisons."

Zelensky mentioned Turkey and Switzerland as possible alternatives, but Liepāja residents think he's thinking too narrowly. "They definitely won't meet in Riga - there even regular conversations end with fights over who pays for coffee," explains another local expert. "But here in Liepāja - neutral territory, cheap beer, and if things get boring during negotiations, you can go to the beach to listen to rock music."

Meanwhile, the Karosta Cultural Center administrator has already started preparing: "We're ready to host any world-class event. The main thing is - just don't remove our famous aquarium."

The only problem might be that in early March, Liepāja usually still has winter, but as locals say - if you survive a Liepāja March, you can solve any political crisis.