Volodymyr Zelensky assured that Ukraine is not losing the war against Russia, although he recognizes that the outcome of the conflict remains uncertain and at a high cost.
“We cannot say that we are losing the war, honestly, we certainly are not. The question is whether we will win, that is the question, but a question that has a very high price”, declared Zelensky in an interview with AFP, a few days before the fourth anniversary of the start of the Russian invasion.
The head of state also indicated that Ukrainian forces recently recovered around 300 square kilometers in the south of the country, as part of an ongoing counteroffensive, information that the AFP was unable to confirm independently.
The war, which began on February 24, 2022, constitutes the most serious conflict in Europe since the Second World War.
Direct negotiations between Kiev and Moscow, mediated by the United States, remain blocked by Russia’s demand that Ukraine withdraw from Donbass, an industrial region in the east of the country currently almost entirely under the control of Russian forces.
According to Zelensky, both Washington and Moscow argue that a Ukrainian withdrawal from Donbass would allow an immediate end to the war, but the president considers that this solution favors Russian interests.
“For Russia, it is a way to take Donbass quickly without losing men,” he said, adding that the United States is putting more pressure on Kiev because it finds itself “in a more difficult position.”
Zelensky reiterated that any possible territorial concession must be preceded by security guarantees from Washington and accompanied by an equivalent withdrawal of Russian forces.
“If we withdraw 10, 20, 30 or 40 kilometers, they must also withdraw”, argued Zelensku, arguing that Donbass has important defensive lines that halt the advance of Russian troops into the interior of the country and also highlighting the high human and symbolic cost of a possible withdrawal, after thousands of deaths in the defense of the region.
The Ukrainian president insisted on the need for international guarantees to prevent future invasions, including the eventual deployment of European troops along the front line after a ceasefire.
On the Russian side, President Vladimir Putin has reiterated that Russia will achieve its objectives by force if diplomatic negotiations do not produce results.
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