Ukraine wants peace, but not at the cost of its own disappearance - Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine seeks an end to the war but is not ready to pay for peace with its own statehood. After 1407 days of full-scale invasion, Ukrainians remain united and unconquered, and only pressure can stop Russia from waging war, Zelenskyy said in his New Year's address, according to UNN.

Details

"I want all of us to be on the same wavelength now, to understand reality in the same way, to be armed, and not only on the battlefield – to be armed with the truth. About who wants what. What Ukraine wants. What America wants. What Russia wants. What Europe and the whole world want. Let's start with the most important thing. What does Ukraine want? Peace? Yes. But at any cost? No. We want an end to the war, but not an end to Ukraine. Are we tired? Very much so. Does that mean we are ready to surrender? Anyone who thinks so is deeply mistaken. And he obviously has not understood who Ukrainians are all these years. A people who have held on for 1407 days of full-scale war. Just realize these numbers. This is more than the Nazi occupation of many of our cities in World War II. 1407 days of unconquered Ukraine. Which is practically every night in a shelter, every day in a struggle. Often without light. Often without sleep. And many days in positions, many. But always without panic, without chaos, without discord, in unity, to be at peace. Do we want the war to end? Absolutely," Zelenskyy said.  

He added that there is still no peace because Russia is a neighbor of our state.

"Can Russia end the war? Yes. Does it want to? No. Can the world force it to? Yes, and only that will work. Why isn't the world doing it fully? Let's figure it out. In order, honestly, as... as it is. Our people know this best. Russia does not end its wars on its own. There has never been a war in history that they ended of their own free will. Only pressure from others, only coercion from others, which they themselves call a 'gesture of goodwill.' This has been the case throughout all the years Russia has fought with someone, that is, throughout all the years of its existence. (...) "Get out of Donbas, and everything will end" - that's how deception sounds in Russian.

Translated into Ukrainian, English, German, French, and, in fact, any language in the world. Does anyone still believe them then? Unfortunately. Because too often the truth is avoided, called diplomacy, although it is simply lies in suits. And therefore, pressure on Ukraine, yes. And that is why we are fighting like this. And we are proving, it would seem, long-obvious truths that after the occupation of Crimea, the seizure of parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the full-scale invasion on February 24, after Bucha, Mariupol, Olenivka, and everything that the Kremlin has been doing all this time, to take their word for it is simply a verdict. A verdict on common international security. And on every leader who simply has to protect his people. Were these arguments of ours heard? We very much hope so. Did they agree with us? Not completely. Yet. And that is why we are still talking about 90, not all 100 percent readiness for a peace agreement," Zelenskyy added.

Recall

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that "peace is on the horizon" after leaders' talks on Ukraine. The US is ready to participate in security guarantees for Ukraine, including the presence of American troops.