Western weapons make a difference, but far less than Ukraine needs to turn the situation around, Ukrainian president says
The president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky argued today, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, that a ceasefire with Russia, without the recovery of lost territory, would only prolong the war.
The Ukrainian president warned that a ceasefire that would allow Russia to retain control of the Ukrainian territories it seized after the February invasion would fuel a wider conflict while giving Moscow a chance to regroup and rearm for the next round.
Zelensky also referred to the High Mobility Artillery Missile Systems (HIMARS) provided by the US to Ukraine, saying that these Western weapons, “while they make a difference, they are far less than his country needs to turn the tide of the war. “The freezing of conflicts with Russia means a pause that will give the Russian Federation a break to rest”, the newspaper writes, citing statements by Zelensky. “Society believes that first we should liberate all lands and then negotiate what we will do and how we will live in the next centuries,” the Ukrainian president added.
“An imperative is air defense systems that would prevent Russia from launching long-range missiles at peaceful cities hundreds of kilometers from the front line.”he continued.
Commenting on the agreement signed by Kyiv with Moscow on grain exports, Zelensky said that “diplomatic concessions to Moscow may somewhat stabilize the markets, but they will only provide a temporary respite and will backfire in the future.”
Russia and Ukraine signed the agreement earlier today to open Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea and resume grain exports, raising hopes that the international food crisis can be averted.
RES-EMP
View the news feed and get the latest news.
