War between Ukraine and Russia will end in dialogue, but strong positions are needed - Zelenskyy
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine needs strong positions for dialogue with Russia regarding the end of the war. An advantage must be achieved before the Peace Summit, states President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a press conference.
A journalist asked the President about the favorable conditions for ending the war with Russia, while the Russian forces continue their offensive on Pokrovsk and their advance is not slowing down.
In response, the President pointed out that before the Kursk operation, the Russian advance towards Pokrovsk was slightly faster.
He also added that the enemy is not retreating in the Pokrovsk direction. And if Russian soldiers decide to retreat, they will be shot.
"They are pressing; they need it. It's like the situation in Bakhmut—they will lose 50-60 thousand people there," Zelenskyy noted.
According to him, Ukraine cannot deploy the same number of soldiers to the Pokrovsk direction as the Russian forces have concentrated there.
"I believe that it would be wrong. And I am very glad that the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, also thinks so. Because there needs to be a strategy," the President explained.
He emphasized that Ukraine needs to be in a strong position at the Peace Summit.
"Of course, everything will end in dialogue. But it is necessary to have strong positions before that dialogue," the head of state stated.
What preceded
In recent weeks, Russian forces have been achieving success in the Pokrovsk direction. They continue their offensive despite the advances of Ukrainian defenders in the Kursk region.
As mentioned by Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukrainian defenders eliminate about 300 troops daily in the Pokrovsk direction.
For more details on the situation in Pokrovsk, see the report by RBC-Ukraine.
