Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that there could be no ceasefire with Moscow unless they can recover territory that was lost to Russia's advance in the region.
The official said that Ukrainian forces have successfully prevented Russian troops from advancing in what he described as the first stage of the conflict. He added that in the second stage, Ukraine would expel Russian troops from its territory, and in the third, they would move to fully restore its territorial integrity.
Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire
Zelensky noted that he would not accept a peace deal with Moscow that would allow Russian military troops to remain in their current positions. He insisted that Ukraine will not accept a "frozen conflict" but gave no further details as he addressed the Wall Street Journal CEO Council Summit on Wednesday.
The Ukrainian president warned that his country would be drawn into a "diplomatic quagmire" like the peace agreement for eastern Ukraine that was brokered by France and Germany in 2015. The deal came after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and cast its support behind a separatist rebellion in the Donbas region, as per Aljazeera.
On the other hand, Russian President Vladimir Putin has named Ukraine's recognition of the Russian sovereignty over Crimea and its acknowledgment of the separatist regions' independence as key conditions for halting hostilities.
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Zelensky emphasized that Putin must agree to meet him to negotiate any form of deal to put an end to the fighting. The Ukrainian president argued that it was important to continue talks, but noted, "Until the Russian president signs it or makes an official statement I don't see the point in such agreements."
According to Reuters, the Ukrainian leader added that despite receiving HIMARS rocket launchers from the United States that have somehow turned the advantage to his country for a little while, they are much lower than what his country needs to completely turn the tide of battle.
Resuming Grain Exports
He noted that freezing the conflict would only allow the Russian Federation to break for rest amid the intense battles. Zelensky added that society believes that all the territories must be liberated first before they can negotiate a peace deal and how to move forward.
The Ukrainian president said, "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." He added that diplomatic concessions to Moscow might stabilize the markets somewhat, but would be temporary, referring to the deal signed with Moscow to resume grain exports.
The deal was signed separately on Friday by Russia and Ukraine and was brokered by Turkey and the United Nations. It clears the way for the export of millions of tons of desperately needed Ukrainian grain to the outside world, including some Russian grain and fertilizer that would travel via the Black Sea.
The UN plan will enable Ukraine to export 22 million tons of grain and other agricultural goods that have been stuck in Black Sea ports due to Russia's invasion. In a statement, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the deal a "beacon of hope" for millions at risk of hunger and starvation, the Associated Press reported.
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