The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, emphasized that security issues remain key in the process of peacefully resolving the situation in Donbas. According to him, Ukraine has not yet received clear and effective security guarantees from international partners, which makes it impossible to move on to the next stages of the peace process.
This is reported by Finway
Lack of Security Guarantees Delays Decisions on Donbas
The head of state stressed that leaving the occupied territories, particularly in the east, could provoke further incursions by Russian troops. The occupied areas, he said, could become a launching pad for new offensive operations by the Russian Federation.
Zelensky highlighted that any decisions regarding the territories must be made only in the presence of real and reliable security guarantees, as well as a clear understanding of potential risks. He noted that Ukraine is currently only negotiating the need for strong guarantees, but such guarantees have not yet been received.
“Before making any decisions, it is essential to clearly understand all the details and have specific security guarantees. At present, we are only discussing strong guarantees, but in reality, they are still absent, and therefore there are no grounds to move on to the next steps. At the same time, we understand that the sole custodian of Ukrainian land is the Ukrainian people, not any partners, despite all due respect to them.”
Responsibility for Territorial Integrity and Prospects for Negotiations
Separately, the president emphasized that the issue of territorial integrity is the exclusive prerogative of the Ukrainian people. No other state or international organization has the right to determine the future of Ukrainian lands.
Zelensky also noted that Russian troops currently do not possess sufficient resources to implement plans for further escalation. Despite losses, the tactics of the Russian Federation’s offensives remain unchanged, although the approaches and timelines of operations are evolving.
Furthermore, the president added that after stabilizing the situation in the Middle East, a resumption of the negotiation process between the Russian Federation and the United States regarding the Ukrainian issue is expected.