Zelenskyy: Neither side will achieve victory in this war through weapons
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Neither Ukraine nor Russia can achieve victory through military means. Therefore, diplomacy is necessary to end the war and bring a just peace, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated this at a press conference with President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
"Neither side will achieve victory in this war through weapons on the battlefield. Russia wanted this but failed, and it did not believe in Ukraine, yet Ukraine has proven itself and defended its independence. It has been incredibly difficult and has come at a high price — the lives of our soldiers. This indicates that a transition to diplomacy is necessary, but it must lead to a just peace," the head of state emphasized.
Zelenskyy pointed out that all politicians currently engaged in negotiations or discussing the terms of a truce overlook the issue of returning prisoners.
"Why say unnecessary words about how people should not die when what really needs to be done is to bring back the thousands of people currently in captivity? And if there truly is goodwill to end this war (though I do not believe that Putin wants this), then a prisoner exchange must take place," the president stressed.
Additionally, according to Zelenskyy, Ukraine must know who will provide it with security guarantees to ensure that Russia's full-scale invasion does not happen again.
"Today, Europe, the US, and NATO countries could certainly give Ukraine hope, confidence, and strong security guarantees, as well as the belief that Ukraine will become a NATO member. But we do not hear such support from the US today. We know that they, along with several European partners, do not support our NATO membership. I believe that this outcome aligns with Russia’s greatest desire," he added.
The head of state emphasized that the only remaining security guarantees are a strong Ukrainian army and the deployment of peacekeepers from Europe and the US. Discussions about a foreign contingent must begin now, as the war’s dynamics and diplomatic efforts have accelerated.
Zelenskyy also clarified that Ukraine will not legally recognize the territories occupied by Russia.
Zelenskyy supports diplomacy
Earlier, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine’s strategy on the path to peace is to "move toward diplomacy."
However, everything depends on what kind of diplomacy it will be. Strong diplomacy means solid security guarantees for Ukraine.
