Zelenskyy explains under what conditions Ukraine can agree to end the war
19 July 2024 09:35
If the whole world puts pressure on Russia, it is possible to agree to a diplomatic settlement of the war in Ukraine, as territories “are not always won by force”. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this in an interview with the BBC, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
He said that the whole world will have to put pressure on Russia to convince it to sit down at the table and consider ending the war.
“This does not mean that all territories are won by force. I think that the power of diplomacy can help… By putting pressure on Russia, I believe that it is possible to agree to a diplomatic settlement,”
– the president said.
He added that a weaker Russia on the battlefield would put Ukraine in a stronger position at the negotiating table.
On 14 June, Putin reiterated that he was “ready for peace talks”, but that Ukraine must withdraw its troops from all Russian-occupied regions, which the Kremlin calls “Russian territory”, and announce its refusal to join NATO.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Putin’s ceasefire proposal is an ultimatum that cannot be trusted.
Zelenskyy said that he currently sees only one model for negotiations with Russia – a trilateral agreement with mediators.
Ukraine cannot win against Russia only on the battlefield, so the war will most likely end in negotiations with Moscow. This opinion was expressed in an interview with The Economist by Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine. The DIU representative said that both sides are currently trying to take the “most favourable position” before potential negotiations, but they will not begin until the second half of 2025.
