The Ukrainian chief says the conflict between Israel and Hamas has drawn consideration away from them, including that’s ‘Russia’s purpose’.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denied that Ukraine’s conflict with Russia had reached a “stalemate”, pushing again at solutions Western leaders have been lobbying for peace talks.
The sprawling entrance line between the 2 warring sides has barely moved in nearly a yr, with one senior Ukrainian official warning this week that the battle was deadlocked.
“Time has handed, persons are drained … However this isn’t a stalemate,” Zelenskyy informed a information convention on Saturday in Kyiv with European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen.
The Ukrainian chief additionally rejected the concept that Western international locations have been placing strain on Kyiv to enter negotiations with Russia, amid reviews US and EU officers had mentioned what such talks would entail.
“Nobody amongst our companions is pressuring us to take a seat down with Russia, speak to it, and provides it one thing,” he stated.
Such strain existed earlier than Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and firstly of the preventing, however “right this moment, not one of the EU leaders or the US are placing strain on me to take a seat down with Russia, negotiate and provides Russia something. There can be no such factor,” he added.
Zelenskyy expressed irritation at media reviews about strain to barter, saying he had no thought the place these claims got here from. On the identical time, he emphasised that he would at all times act in accordance with the need of the Ukrainian individuals.
With the conflict now in its twentieth month and Ukraine struggling to realize floor in its counteroffensive, Zelenskyy has routinely met Western leaders in a bid to stave off fatigue with the battle.
Zelenskyy stated the conflict between Israel and Hamas had additionally drawn consideration away from Ukraine, and stated that this was “Russia’s purpose”.
“In fact, it’s clear that the conflict within the Center East, this battle, is taking away the main target,” Zelenskyy stated.
“Now we have already been in very tough conditions when there was nearly no give attention to Ukraine,” he stated, however added, “I’m completely certain we are going to overcome this problem.”
Ukraine’s backers, together with america, have maintained they’re able to help Kyiv with navy and monetary help for so long as it takes to defeat Russia.