President Volodymyr Zelensky said that despite the difficulties on the battlefield, there is no hopeless situation in the war and Ukraine is not ready for peace at any cost. He said this in an interview with the British newspaper The Sun.
He noted that Ukrainians are tired of the war, but have no desire to demand peace.
"We do not believe that Putin or Russia want to end the war. They want to destroy us. And we want justice. So we are not talking about peace at any cost. We are talking about a just peace. Is it hard on the battlefield? Yes, it is. But to become friends or sit down at the diplomatic table with Russia? No!" Zelensky said.
He added that any plan that provides for the transfer of Donbas and Crimea to Russia is not a peaceful plan, it is a surrender: "Our country will not be ready for such a peaceful plan. This is not a peaceful plan. This is the end of the war on the part of Russia."
He acknowledged that among Ukraine's allies there is growing doubt that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will be able to "drive out Russian troops," but this will not affect Kyiv's position.
"We need to achieve greater success on the battlefield. And we will do it, we will return our lands, we will fight for them to the end," the president said.
At the same time, according to him, the lack of progress on land is balanced by successes in the Black Sea: "We really destroyed a part of the Russian fleet. We did it. We pushed them out. They do not have such a total influence on the Black Sea region."
Zelensky also repeated that Ukraine will not be able to win without the West's military and financial assistance. But if Western countries do not provide support, then after Russia's victory over Ukraine, NATO countries will be next.
He also believes that Russia will attempt offensive actions for a long time. This can only end after the United States and China "stop Russia."
According to Zelensky, "the moment must come" when the Chinese and American authorities put pressure on Moscow and it will think about ending the fighting.
