“President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the end of hostilities is the main priority for Ukraine, and expressed hope that peace will be achieved in a year thanks to active diplomatic efforts and negotiations.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
Source: Zelensky’s interview France 2 TV channel
Direct speech: “I really hope (that in a year there will be peace in Ukraine – ed.). We will do everything we can. This is our priority. Mine and my team’s. My team is negotiating now. Our priority is to end this war.”
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Details: The president emphasized that Russia is trying to present its ultimatums as a search for a compromise, while continuing to attack the civilian population and use the cold as a weapon. Zelensky emphasized that the more the Russian Federation kills the civilian population, the further it pushes back the prospect of real agreements.
Zelensky emphasized that the diplomatic path does not mean capitulation or acceptance of Russian ultimatums. According to him, Moscow’s demand for the withdrawal of the Armed Forces from Donetsk and the entire Donbas is a “red line”.
The president noted that even the “freezing” of the front line in the current positions would be a “huge concession” on the part of Ukraine, but he is ready for dialogue in order to preserve the independence of the state.
Zelensky also commented on French President Emmanuel Macron’s initiative to resume dialogue with Putin. The Ukrainian leader believes that it is worth talking, but “with the imposition of conditions”, since the pressure on the Russian Federation is not enough so far, and Putin uses the negotiations only to humiliate Europe.
The president also stated in the interview that 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the four years of the full-scale war, but there are still a large number of dead missing. A year ago in NBC interview Zelensky reported more than 46,000 dead.