Russia's peace plan is a roadmap to force Ukraine's surrender, Zelenskyy says
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an interview with Newsmax, said that the Russian peace proposal is not a plan to end the war, but a clearly formulated ultimatum that violates Ukraine's Constitution, international law, and the will of the Ukrainian people.
"Russia wrote what it calls a proposal, and it clearly understands that everything written in it goes against the Constitution of Ukraine, the law, international law, and the will of the Ukrainian people. What Russia is offering is not a peace plan. It’s an ultimatum designed in a way that Ukraine can never comply with," Zelenskyy said.
He stressed that Russia is the aggressor that attacked Ukraine. He added that the very idea of sitting down with killers at the negotiating table and trying to reach agreements is already a compromise.
"Ukraine has shown it is ready to do everything for the sake of peace. But everything except surrender. Let's be honest — what is a ceasefire, if not simply a ceasefire? Why should there be conditions for a ceasefire? How can anyone talk about protecting Russian-speaking people when it was mostly in the east of the country, where the majority of those Russian-speaking people in Ukraine lived — that the Russians were doing the killing?" the President explained.
Zelenskyy also said it was inappropriate for the Russians to raise the issue of the Russian Church.
"Faith is a personal will. It’s about freedom. But Putin climbs right into the church bell tower and tells people how to cross themselves. A person has the right to go to a church, a mosque, a synagogue — whatever they choose. That's people's will. Yet he discusses the proper respect to be given to the Russian Church. Why? This isn't even a state matter — it's a church matter," the Ukrainian President added.
Zelenskyy also noted that the Russian delegation, while still in Istanbul, openly said their memorandum was an ultimatum for Ukraine.
The President said Moscow knew from the beginning that Kyiv would not accept such terms.
Russia's memorandum
During a meeting in Istanbul on June 2, the Russian delegation, through Türkiye, handed Ukraine what it called a peace memorandum.
The document included Russia's demands for a ceasefire or an end to the war. However, as it turned out, the Kremlin expects Ukraine not only to surrender the territories currently occupied by Russian forces but also those still under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said such ultimatums from Russia are unacceptable in diplomacy.
