Zelensky: The end of the war is not an option for us

The end of the war with Russia “is not an option for us”, stressed today the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, reiterating the call for Western military assistance aimed at restoring the country’s territorial integrity.

“We are inferior in armaments and, consequently, we are not able to move forward. We will suffer greater losses and people are my priority,” W. Zelensky said via video link at an FT Live event.

Speaking to Financial Times director Rula Khalaf during a discussion in the Global Boardroom, the Ukrainian said that pushing Russian forces into positions they held before the Russian invasion would be a “serious temporary victory” for Ukraine, but full sovereignty over of its territory remains the ultimate goal.

The Ukrainian president said “victory must be achieved on the battlefield”, but insisted he was open to peace talks with Vladimir Putin, despite the atrocities committed by Russian forces during the war.

Volodymyr Zelensky said Western sanctions “have not really affected Russia’s position” and criticized Ukraine’s partners for calling for a ceasefire without setting conditions for ending the Russian offensive.

“Everyone is behaving like a puppet. They support Ukraine, but they are also checking what can be done to weaken sanctions so that businesses do not suffer. How can we achieve a ceasefire on Ukrainian soil without listening to the country’s position?” astonishment”.

At the same time, the President of Ukraine stated that he was “very pleased” that Boris Johnson remains the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

“I am pleased that we did not lose a very important ally, it is an extraordinary development,” said W. Zelensky.

Boris Johnson won the motion of censure against him. Since the start of the Russian offensive against Ukraine, the British Prime Minister has been at the forefront of Western support for Kyiv and has supplied Ukraine with modern weapons systems critical to its defense.

With information from AMPE