December 18th 2024.
According to President Zelensky, the only hope for Ukraine to break free from Russia's control lies in Western diplomacy. In a recent interview with French newspaper Le Parisien, Zelensky opened up about the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. He admitted that while his country's armed forces are determined to reclaim their territories seized by Russia, they lack the strength to do so. Zelensky stated that Ukraine's constitution forbids them from giving up their territories, but currently, these regions are under Russian control.
"We cannot give up our territories. The Ukrainian constitution forbids us to do so. De facto, these territories are now controlled by the Russians. We do not have the strength to recover them," Zelensky told the outlet. He also added that the only way to force Putin to sit down at the negotiating table is through diplomatic pressure from the international community.
When asked about the possibility of a face-to-face meeting with Putin, Zelensky emphasized that the real power lies in the position one holds while negotiating, not in who sits across from them. He also mentioned that Ukraine is neither in a weak nor a strong position. He further expressed uncertainty about Ukraine's future in terms of joining NATO and becoming part of the European Union.
Zelensky believes that entering into negotiations with Putin under the current conditions would only allow the Russian leader to dictate the terms. He explained that it is crucial to first develop a model or action plan for peace and then present it to Putin or the Russian people.
The Ukrainian president also emphasized that no world leader has the right to negotiate with Putin without involving Ukraine. "We have not delegated this mandate to anyone. We are the victims," Zelensky said. Last month, Zelensky suggested that Ukraine could consider abandoning its attempts to reclaim the occupied territories in exchange for NATO membership. However, the western military alliance has not given a specific timeline or path to membership.
Currently, Russia controls the Crimean peninsula and most of the Donbass region, which they claim as part of their territory. They have also taken control of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, but these areas are not under their main cities' control. In 2023, Ukraine launched a counteroffensive to reclaim its territories, but unfortunately, it failed. However, they did manage to gain control of some areas in the Russian province of Kursk.
It is reported that US President Donald Trump has a plan to end the conflict in Ukraine within a day of taking office, and he has enlisted the help of former general Keith Kellogg as his Russia and Ukraine envoy. The details of this plan are still vague, but it is believed that it involves freezing conflict on the frontlines, offering territorial concessions, and suspending Ukraine's NATO application in exchange for continued security assistance and partially lifting sanctions against Russia.
Rumored proposals also include creating a demilitarized zone along the frontlines, which would be monitored by NATO troops and the UN. However, Russia has responded by stating that peace can only be achieved if Ukraine surrenders Crimea and all other territories seized since 2022. They also demand that Ukraine withdraw its troops from the cities of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, which are currently under Kyiv's control.
"We don't want a ceasefire, we want peace, after our conditions are met, and all our goals are achieved," said Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday. Ukraine is seeking assurances from Western leaders before agreeing to any ceasefire proposals. The situation remains tense, and it is uncertain when or how the conflict will be resolved.
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