Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a bold statement, emphasizing that Ukraine would “never cede” any of its occupied territories to Russia. He also expressed doubts regarding peace initiatives led by former President Trump, suggesting that Trump may be falling victim to Vladimir Putin’s manipulation.
In an interview with Le Figaro, a French newspaper, Zelensky appeared emboldened by the strong backing of European nations, who have adopted a tough stance toward Moscow in the ongoing U.S.-mediated peace discussions. “One thing is certain: we will never cede our occupied territories to Russia. These lands belong to the Ukrainians,” Zelensky declared.
He went on to say, “When will we get them back? Probably not right away. This may have to be done diplomatically. Diplomacy causes fewer victims,” hinting at a long-term diplomatic strategy to regain control of these contested areas.
Since the 2022 Russian invasion, large portions of Ukrainian territory in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia have fallen under Russian control, with Crimea also annexed by Russia in 2014. Despite early Ukrainian successes against the larger Russian military, the conflict quickly devolved into a prolonged stalemate marked by trench warfare, and Ukraine has faced considerable difficulty in retaking significant territory, at a high cost in lives.
Despite the difficult circumstances, Zelensky, with the support of European allies, continues to demand that Russia vacate the territories it has seized. Russia, for its part, insists that these regions belong to them, pointing to the large Russian-speaking population in the areas, although most Ukrainian speakers have already fled.
Ahead of peace talks in Riyadh, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff suggested that whether the international community would acknowledge that Ukraine had lost these territories to Russia would be a key factor in whether a peace deal could be reached. His comments sparked strong reactions in Ukraine, with Zelensky and others calling for President Trump to dismiss Witkoff for his position on the matter.
Zelensky continued to express concerns about Trump’s approach, recalling their previous clash in the White House. He suggested that Putin was deceiving Trump with diplomatic overtures. “Donald Trump tried to create good diplomatic relations with Russia. But this kind of method doesn’t work with a man like Putin… If Donald Trump eases sanctions against Russia, he will only deduce one thing: that he is a weak president and can therefore take the next step,” Zelensky explained.
The Ukrainian president also accused Russia of stalling during peace negotiations, revealing that Ukraine had offered an unconditional ceasefire, but that Russia had imposed preconditions, such as the lifting of economic sanctions. Zelensky argued that this behavior showed that Putin was not genuinely interested in peace. He also added, “Putin is trying to buy time and that he is preparing for a spring offensive,” noting that Ukraine had shared intelligence with its allies regarding Russia’s plans to attack the Sumy and Kharkiv regions.
“[Putin] already wanted to launch this operation eight months ago, but we prevented him thanks to our intervention in Kursk. That’s why today he needs time,” Zelensky added, underscoring that Ukraine had previously thwarted Russian plans and that Putin was now seeking more time to regroup.
Zelensky’s comments came as European leaders were preparing for another summit in Paris, where discussions would continue on the potential deployment of a British and European peacekeeping force in the event of a peace agreement.
Before the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron announced an additional two billion euros in military aid to Ukraine, stating, “The goal is to keep Ukraine on its feet. France will continue its commitment, in consultation with its European partners and allies.”
Macron also called for Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire “without preconditions,” while the European Union reiterated that sanctions on Russia would remain in place unless Russia withdraws from “the entire territory” of Ukraine. A spokesperson for the EU stated, “The end of unprovoked and unjustified Russian aggression in Ukraine and the unconditional withdrawal of all Russian military forces from the entire Ukrainian territory would be the main prerequisites for changing or lifting sanctions.”
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