President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that the Kremlin dictator and war criminal Vladimir Putin is not interested in ending the criminal war against Ukraine, and negotiations with the Russian Federation are meaningless.
Why do negotiations with the Kremlin make no sense?
“First and foremost, he does not need peace. When we want to solve a problem, we must understand that it is necessary for all parties. We want to end the war,” explained Zelensky during an interview with journalists from Latin American publications.
The president emphasized that he cannot imagine negotiations with the Kremlin or representatives of the Russian authorities regarding the occupied Ukrainian territories where Ukrainian citizens reside.
“How can I negotiate with Putin? Let’s forget for a moment that he is a killer. On the Russian side. How can I negotiate with him about the people who are in some towns or villages that have been occupied, who live there? And here, two people or two teams sit down and say: let them be yours. Who are we to decide where a person should live, who they should be, what language to speak, which flag to respect? Who are we?” – the head of state noted.
He added that according to the Constitution, he has a duty to protect the rights and freedoms of Ukrainian citizens and assist in the liberation of occupied territories.
Why are Putin’s guarantees worthless?
He is convinced that there should be people around him who are ready to defend independence with weapons in hand.
“Does anyone want to die? No. Everyone is alive. But this person does not want any dialogue; he does not want to stop the war. For him, stopping the war today is just two words over the phone. Tell your troops to withdraw.. This is de-escalation, this is complete de-escalation, then it’s purely diplomacy, further conversation without any weapons. This person does not want to do this; he is not interested,” explains Zelensky.
The head of the state reminded that after the occupation of Crimea and parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions in 2014, the Kremlin dictator falsely promised not to start a large-scale war against Ukraine.
“If that’s the case, why did he go for a full-scale war? Everything he says is untrue. He is not interested in an independent Ukraine; he needs Ukraine as a part, an enclave of Russia, as he did with Belarus, Moldova, Georgia. Everywhere, as with us – a captured part of the integral territory, to prevent stability and eventually come and capture it completely. Ukraine is just a big country, and he failed. So, what compromise can he propose? Who is he? I cannot trade people. And with whom? With a person whose word is worth nothing. These are not guarantees,” – Zelensky emphasized.