Volodymyr Zelensky says no ceasefire with Russia without reclaiming land lost

Volodymyr Zelensky says no ceasefire with Russia without reclaiming land lost
July 23, 2022, 10:37 am

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky (Official Facebook page)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Friday (July 22) that a ceasefire with Russia without reclaiming lost territories would only prolong the war.

He warned that a ceasefire that allows Russia to keep Ukrainian territories seized since the invasion in February would only encourage an even wider conflict, giving Moscow an opportunity to replenish and rearm for the next round, the Alarabiya English reported, citing Reuters.

Zelenskyy also spoke about US-supplied high mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS), saying, “the Western supplies of Himars, while making a material difference, are much lower than what Ukraine needs to turn the tide.”

The Wall Street Journal reported, citing comments by Zelenskyy: “Freezing the conflict with the Russian Federation means a pause that gives the Russian Federation a break for rest.”

He said, “Society believes that all the territories must be liberated first, and then we can negotiate about what to do and how we could live in the centuries ahead”.

Smoke and dirt rise from the city of Sievierodonetsk in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas on Jun 17, 2022, as the Russian-Ukrainian war enters its 114th day. (File photo: AFP/Aris Messinis)

Zelenskyy added: “A more pressing need is air-defense systems that could prevent Russia from raining long-range missiles on otherwise peaceful cities hundreds of miles from the front lines.”

Russia and Ukraine ink a deal to resume shipping Ukrainian grain

Referring to the deal signed with Russia to reopen grain exports Zelenskyy said, “Diplomatic concessions to Moscow might stabilize the markets somewhat, but would only provide a temporary respite and boomerang in the future.”

Russia and Ukraine signed a landmark deal on Friday to reopen Ukrainian Black Sea ports for grain exports, raising hopes that an international food crisis aggravated by the Russian invasion can be eased.

Source: alarabiyaenglish

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