Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that ceding occupied territories to Russia was the quickest way to end the war, but stressed that this solution was only temporary, as the Kremlin would not stop there.
“The easiest way to end the war is to cede territory to Russia. Give him back the influence he had for years in Ukraine and within Ukraine,” he said in an interview published by the German weekly Der Spiegel.
The Minsk Accords, adopted in 2014 and 2015 to end the conflict in western Ukraine, are a “concession” in this sense, said the president, who acknowledged getting on this “train” at the beginning, despite that he was “on his way there”. “. “it had been an abyss”.
However, he knew from the start that implementation was impossible, which he told then German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Rather, the real purpose of the agreements was to allow Russia to “satisfy its hunger a little at the expense of Ukraine” and to postpone the issue, which is common practice in diplomacy, Zelensky reflected.
But Russian President Wladimir Putin is “a dragon that must keep devouring” and cannot be stopped by offering him tracts of land to satisfy his appetite, as “neither borders nor oceans will stop the Russians”.
In that vein, he called it “dirty politics” and “ridiculous” that certain governments openly support Ukraine but then seek ways to circumvent sanctions against Russia or are reluctant to provide military aid.
Although “everyone is afraid of war” and it is logical that other countries see the conflict as a threat to their stability and want to end it “for others”, according to the Ukrainian president, a decision must be made in the last resort.
“Leaders must understand that the war must end. But you can’t swim between two bodies of water,” emphasized Zelensky, who therefore asked for more support.
“If one day the Russians reach our border, we will have to sacrifice the lives of our people. Therefore, what Ukraine is doing now is more convenient for our country,” he warned.
Source: La Neta Neta
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
