In an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that a cease-fire with Russia without the retaking of lost territory will merely prolong the conflict.
He cautioned that allowing Russia to maintain control over the Ukrainian territory it has occupied since its invasion in February would only foster a bigger confrontation and give Moscow the chance to resupply and prepare for the next battle.
In addition, Zelensky discussed the high mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS) provided by the United States, claiming that “although making a meaningful difference, the Western supplies of Himars are much lower than what Ukraine needs to turn the tide.”
The Wall Street Journal quoted Zelensky as saying that “freezing the war with the Russian Federation means a halt that provides the Russian Federation a break for rest.”
Society, according to him, believes that all of the regions must first be freed before discussions about what to do and how to live in the centuries to come can take place.
Air defense systems that could stop Russia from launching long-range missiles on otherwise quiet cities hundreds of miles from the combat lines are a more urgent need, Zelensky continued.
Zelensky stated, “Diplomatic concessions to Moscow would calm the markets considerably, but would only provide a temporary reprieve and backfire in the future.” He was referring to the agreement reached with Russia to restart grain exports.
A historic agreement between Russia and Ukraine to reopen Ukrainian Black Sea ports for grain exports was reached on Friday, bolstering hopes for a resolution to the global food crisis that the Russian invasion has exacerbated.
