Russia wants not territories from Ukraine, but political advantages and the destruction of Ukraine as a state, and Ukrainians as a nation. At the same time, Europe perceives non-forceful responses to Russian aggression as weakness, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with The Guardian, UNN reports.
Details
As Zelenskyy noted, he is skeptical about the issue that Russians want territory from Ukraine. He added that Russia is the largest country in the world in terms of territory.
Zelenskyy also added that Russians want Ukraine not to develop - Russia also seeks to destroy Ukrainian national identity.
In addition, Europe is afraid of the word "escalation," Zelenskyy emphasized.
Europeans always think that Europe's steps - since they are developed states, with respect for law and values - that any of their responses are an escalation. And I believe the opposite, that Russia does not like weakness. Any intellectual responses - and these are the responses Europe finds - are about weakness for Russia
He added that weakness does not lead to dialogue with Russians.
Recall
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia could attack European Union countries even before the end of the current war, as Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is in a "stalemate."