Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, has acknowledged that his nation is open to negotiations with Russia, but only on its own terms. This move is intended to dispel concerns about Ukraine’s military prowess and the support of its friends.
Speaking with reporters on Tuesday night, December 19, Zelensky asserted that Russia has not accomplished any of its stated objectives and that his nation is not losing the fight.
While Russia has suffered few but significant losses in its own war effort this year, Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine has reinforced its air defenses and achieved naval victories in the Black Sea despite the country’s military falling well short of its objectives in a counteroffensive over the summer.
Zelenskyy declared during a press conference to support the start of negotiations with the European Union over potential Ukrainian membership in the EU, “Russia failed to achieve any results.”
The initial losses, successes, and shocks of the Russian invasion in February 2022 resulted in a remarkable unity within Ukraine and among its supporters over the first year of the conflict.
But in 2023, despite receiving hundreds of billions of euros from its allies in the US and Europe, the conflict claimed a great toll in terms of lives lost and money lost, with little progress made on the ground. This left Ukraine in a combat stalemate.
While Europe has taken the lead in providing financial help, the United States has supplied almost half of Ukraine’s army with weapons and ammunition directly, and it has contributed roughly 25% of all foreign aid to the country’s budget.
However, Republicans in Congress have stalled President Joe Biden’s request for an additional $64 billion in aid for Ukraine, as well as for Israel and Taiwan, stating that they will not accept it until immigration and border security policies are changed.
Furthermore, Hungary vetoed the European Union’s decision to approve a $54 billion, multiyear financial support package for Ukraine, delaying it until January because the arrangement required approval from all 27 members of the union.
Zelenskyy stated that he anticipated both the US and Europe to deliver. He declared, “I don’t think our partners will betray us.” “I have no doubt that the United States won’t disappoint us.”
Russia wants that its authority over Crimea, which it took in 2014, and over four regions in Ukraine, which it currently only partially controls, be acknowledged.
Zelenskyy emphasized on Tuesday that he is prepared to negotiate on the grounds of Ukraine’s 10-point peace proposal. The endeavors of his administration are perceived in part as a means of countering Russian diplomatic initiatives in developing countries and in part as a means of arranging negotiations. Zelenskyy stated that the idea will be sent to Russia once it has been refined and approved by the several dozen nations now engaged in negotiations.
He said that Russia didn’t seem ready to talk just now. He declared, “We don’t see any request from Russia.” but in their words, but in what they do. All we witness is blatant willingness to kill.
In his most comprehensive remarks to date, he discussed the effects on Ukraine’s ability to continue its battle with Russia in the event that Donald Trump—a candidate who favors talks with Putin—wins the US presidential election the next year.
Zelenskyy stated that measures “that will be colder, or more inward oriented, if they will economize more, then these signals would have a very significant impact on the course of the war,” without mentioning Trump.
Zelensky likened a possible retreat by the US to the removal of an essential component from the global security apparatus.
The device begins to malfunction,” he stated.
The Biden administration said on Monday that it will only unveil one more military aid package under already approved congressional funding.
John Kirby, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council, informed reporters that “we will have no more replenishment authority available to us when that one is done.” Still, some military assistance might come from a different Pentagon-run program.
According to Zelenskyy, military commanders suggested that in order to maintain the war effort and enable soldiers who have been fighting nonstop for 22 months to rotate away from the front, Ukraine should draft between 450,000 and 500,000 men next year. This is a significant number for a nation of roughly 40 million people.
Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukraine faces serious issues, including this one, and stated that the call-up will be “sensitive.”