Zelensky names Ukraine’s top priority in war with Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s top priority in its war with Russia is people, stressing that territory, while important, is secondary.
He made the remarks in an interview with blogger Max Klymenko.
“Russia is not winning. They have not achieved any of their goals since the start of the war. They wanted to fully occupy Donbas but failed. And, of course, they wanted to capture the capital — they did not achieve that either,” Zelenskyy said.
He said Russian forces are now losing between 30,000 and 35,000 troops each month.
“People are number one. Land is the second issue. But people — people are the most important,” he added.
Zelenskyy also said that over the past one to two years, Ukrainian forces have largely held the same positions, while losses continue to rise.
“Russian forces cannot break through our defensive lines, although they try to do so every day. That is why this situation on the battlefield does not bring them victory. That is why they are trying to create chaos with missile strikes on energy and civilian infrastructure,” he said.
Zelenskyy added that Ukraine is now a global leader in security, noting that no other country in the world could, for example, destroy 500 Iranian-made drones in a single day.
Zelenskyy also outlined the reasons why Russia may feel stronger ahead of potential negotiations.
The Kremlin, in an explicit manner, rejected France’s proposal to involve the European Union in peace talks.
The process of U.S.-mediated efforts to resolve the war between Russia and Ukraine has come under threat due to declining interest from U.S. President Donald Trump in negotiations and escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also stressed the need for a personal meeting with Trump, citing a number of critical issues that require urgent progress.
