Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in an interview with the French newspaper Le Parisien that the Ukrainian army is unable to retake Crimea and Donbas on its own.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to a newspaper reader about the compromises he might consider to end the war, including whether he would be willing to relinquish Crimea or Donbas, even temporarily.
“We cannot give up our territories. The Ukrainian constitution prohibits us from doing so. De facto, these territories are currently controlled by the Russians. We do not have the power to reclaim them on our own. Our hope lies in diplomatic pressure from the international community to bring Putin to the negotiating table.
I wonder why the West, which supports us, is so cautious with him. Why weren’t we massively armed after the war began? It may seem audacious, but I feel like everyone is afraid of Putin’s Russia. He acts with impunity. We need a strong America and Europe to pressure Putin and stop this war,” the Ukrainian president added.
When asked if he would be willing to negotiate directly with the Russian president, Zelensky said:
“The main issue isn’t who is on the other side of the table; it’s the position you negotiate from that matters. I don’t believe we are in a weak position, but I wouldn’t call it strong either. Will we be part of NATO? We don’t know. Will we join the European Union? Yes, eventually, but when? Sitting at the table with Putin under these conditions means granting him the authority to decide for us.”
Zelensky emphasized that no world leader has the right to negotiate with Putin on Ukraine’s behalf.
“We have never given that mandate to anyone. We are the victims. It would be unjust for others to decide how our country should live. The French determine their future in France, the Italians in Italy, and the Americans in the United States. Ukrainians deserve the same right,” the Ukrainian president said.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago, on February 24, 2022, initiating the ongoing war.
