Zelenskyy: Putin must withdraw and pay for everything
In an exclusive interview with the American television channel News Nation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy firmly rejected the possibility of making territorial concessions to Russia.
On ‘compromises’ and justice
Commenting on the pressure regarding possible territorial concessions, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine had already made the greatest sacrifice by standing firm against full-scale aggression. According to him, it is now Russia’s turn to take a step back.
“I thought that the world has to push Putin back. And this is a big compromise. He has to back down and pay for everything people have lost. He has to pay for this,” the President emphasised.
(Translation: “I believe that the world must push Putin back. And this is a major compromise. He must back down and pay for everything that people have lost. He must pay for this.”)
Zelenskyy stressed that Russia’s proposals to relinquish territories currently controlled by Ukraine are unacceptable, as the Kremlin would use any lull merely to prepare a new offensive.
The Russian-Iranian espionage alliance
Ukrainian intelligence reports that Russia is actively assisting Iran in monitoring strategic sites in the US and the Middle East caused a particular stir.
“Russia shared and shares... satellite images of various sites in Middle Eastern countries. This includes the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan,” Zelenskyy stated.
(Translation: “Russia has shared and continues to share satellite images of various targets in the Middle East. This includes the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan.”)
He expressed hope that the US realises the scale of this threat, as Moscow is effectively helping to coordinate attacks on American bases and the energy systems of allies.
Talks with Jared Kushner and Lindsey Graham
Zelenskyy confirmed that this week he held a substantive meeting with an influential American delegation comprising Jared Kushner, Stephen Kuff, Senator Lindsey Graham and Mark Newman. The key topic was the security guarantees that Ukraine expects to receive from the US to prevent a repeat invasion in the future.
