President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s chief of staff said this week that he would not make “compromises” with Russia, despite concerns that Moscow would try to seize more territory after last year’s failed counterattack. .
Andriy Yermak, one of the most powerful people in Zelensky’s government, Said Politico said Kiev will not accept any conditions that freeze conflict lines and Ukraine will not accept any deal that violates its borders.
“The Russians are not interested in any negotiations. They want Ukraine to surrender. But that will never happen. All of us living in Ukraine are not interested in any compromises regarding independence, territorial integrity and freedom. We do not accept it. And this president will never agree to things like the Minsk agreements or a freeze on the conflict. No, that’s for sure, ”said Yermak.
Kiev failed to retake any meaningful territory from the Russian side in last year’s much-vaunted “spring counteroffensive,” raising concerns that Moscow could launch a new offensive as the winter thaws. Zelenskiy’s government has said it will not launch a counterattack. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, any negotiations with the Kremlin are prohibited unless Russia withdraws from all the territory it promised under its 1991 borders.
In his New Year’s address to the nation, President Zelenskiy said that Ukraine would continue fighting until “Crimea, Donbass, Luhansk region, Berdyansk, Melitopol and Mariupol” were returned to Ukrainian control.
But there are growing doubts about Ukraine’s ability to continue fighting a much larger enemy, with even Zelenskiy’s former top commander Valery Zarzhny saying last year that the war had been disrupted by surprise drone strikes, often a key strategy. He admitted that he had reached a stalemate. It is almost impossible for small factions to use it. Before being sent overseas as London’s new ambassador, Zarzhini also: advocated To mobilize an additional 500,000 troops to fight Russia.
Ukraine rejects ceasefire with Russia at Davos ‘peace’ summit ahead of World Economic Forum meetinghttps://t.co/zyxaguIC8u
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) January 14, 2024
President Zelenskiy denies the need for such troops, but this week he will lower the minimum age for conscription from 27 to 25, with the aim of strengthening the military ranks ahead of an expected tightening of conscription. thereby signing a long-delayed and controversial bill. It will arrive from Russia in the next few months. The move could have serious political implications, given that thousands more parents will have to watch their sons go to war.
While trying to sound optimistic, Yermak acknowledged the toll the war had taken on the people, saying: “People may say they are tired, but if you ask them if they want to compromise with Russia, they will say categorically no… And the fact that people remain in Ukraine with their families generally It confirms that the mood is still strong.”
“Of course people are tired. Two years is a long time… but people still believe in our victory.”
The move also comes amid concerns about whether the United States will continue to finance wars under a possible Trump presidency. The Biden administration is looking to send $64 billion in U.S. taxpayer money and weapons to Ukraine, on top of the $113 billion already promised, but Republicans, including President Trump ally Viktor Orbán, There is also a proposal by the candidate and former president to cut the planned funding. Stop aid to bring Ukraine to the negotiating table.
Meanwhile, President Trump claimed that war never broke out under his leadership and that he would end it “within 24 hours” if sent back to the White House.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is reportedly trying to avoid the possibility of an apparent American withdrawal of funds. called It called for $100 billion over five years from member states to continue funding the war for the foreseeable future. However, it is unclear whether cash-strapped European countries intend to finance the war if the US dollar dries up.
President Zelenskiy appealed to President Trump in diplomatic terms, saying, “I don’t think anyone representing the party of Ronald Reagan would abandon Ukraine.Reagan understood the Soviet Union and Russia, and the dictator Anyone who understands will continue to support our warfighters because they understand that it will not stop voluntarily and must be stopped.”
“Bring Trump back!” Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán tells Tucker that only Trump can end the war in Ukraine and “save the Western world.” https://t.co/1OQf4px2sK
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) August 30, 2023
