Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has firmly stated that Ukraine will not use its territories or people as bargaining chips in peace negotiations with Russia.
“We are not ready to use our territories as one of the options for a peace proposal. We do not exchange people or territories for proposals, our values and our freedom, our democracy – we are not ready to sacrifice these,” Zelenskyy stated in an interview with Indian media over the weekend.
Zelenskyy also commented on the global implications of the Russian war against Ukraine, warning that any justification of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions could have consequences in other parts of the world regarding violations of territorial integrity.
He stressed the importance of diplomatic isolation of aggressors and the need for world leaders to stand united against such actions.
“As long as Ukraine stands, fights, and condemns violations of sovereignty and territorial integrity, while the whole world is with us – the risks of other crises in the world are reduced,” Zelenskyy stated.
The President reiterated Ukraine’s commitment to supporting countries fighting for their freedom. He emphasized that this stance is rooted in values and the importance of every individual’s rights.
Zelenskyy pointed out that the main obstacle to peace is Putin’s unwillingness to end the conflict.
At the same time, Zelenskyy called on India to stop importing Russian oil because after that, the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, “would face huge challenges.”