Photo: OP
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that there are worrying signals that after a possible ceasefire in Ukraine, its Western partners may stop active support and leave the country alone with Russia. He said this during a conversation with journalists.
“We see certain signals – if we agree to a ceasefire, we may be left face to face with the Russian Federation. This is not the way to real peace,” Zelenskyy stressed.
According to him, Ukraine is open to peace, but only on conditions that guarantee security in the future. First and foremost, it is the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory.
The President stressed that a ceasefire without further guarantees could only freeze the conflict, which would benefit the Kremlin. Zelenskyy also stressed that Ukraine would not accept any peace option imposed on it from the outside or under pressure from its partners.
“We don’t want the ceasefire to become a trap. It may look like a diplomatic success, but in fact it is a path to defeat if Russia remains on our land,” he said.
These statements came amid rumours of new initiatives for peace talks involving the United States, China and a number of European countries, and on the eve of the next peace conference being prepared by Switzerland. Zelenskyy confirmed Ukraine’s participation in these processes, but reminded that Kyiv would not allow itself to betray its principles.
He also stressed that Ukraine needs clear and stable assistance from its allies, especially in the military sphere, to hold the front and prevent Russia from gaining the upper hand.
