Zelenskyy on ceasefire: Staying where we are is already a big compromise in war with Russia

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has insisted that the fact that "we are speaking with the aggressor about compromises" is itself a compromise, and Kyiv is not going to give the Russians new territories.

Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with Japan's Kyodo News, the text of which he posted on X (Twitter)

Quote: "'Stay where we stay' – this is a big compromise. They took almost 20% of our territory. And we are ready to speak about peace at this moment, on the basis of 'Stay where we stay'. This is a big compromise."

Details: Zelenskyy asserts that Ukraine is ready for "real compromises", but not for "compromises at the cost of our independence and sovereignty", which in essence are a Russian ultimatum.

Quote: "We are ready to speak about compromises with the United States. But not to get ultimatums from the Russians again and again. They are the aggressor. Everybody has recognised it. It hasn't changed.

What does Russia offer us as a compromise? What are they ready to do? They said, 'We are ready not to occupy your other regions'. But it is terrorism. Even that language, it is terrorism. 'I'm ready not to kill you – give us everything'. What does it mean? It's not a compromise. This is an ultimatum. That's why I said: We are ready for compromises that respect Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, our army, our people, and our children. But we are not ready for ultimatums."

Background:

• On 18 February, trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and the US took place in Geneva, Switzerland. Zelenskyy reported that an agreement was reached that monitoring of compliance with a ceasefire would be carried out with participation of the US.
• He then added that political issues about possible compromises and a necessary meeting of leaders have not been sufficiently worked out in talks on ending the war.

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