Zelenskyy names conditions for the de-occupation of territories
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an interview with the BBC, openly outlined the reasons why Ukraine cannot currently launch a large-scale operation to liberate occupied territories.
According to him, the main obstacles to de-occupation are a significant shortage of personnel and an insufficient supply of modern weapons from international partners.
The head of state stressed that restoring territorial integrity remains an unchanged goal, but it directly depends on the resources available. Hasty actions in conditions where the Russian army has a numerical advantage could lead to catastrophic consequences for the Ukrainian people.
“To do this today would mean losing a huge number of people — millions — because the Russian army is large, and we understand the price of such steps. We would not have enough people. And what is land without people? Honestly — nothing,” Zelenskyy explained.
The President emphasised that saving the lives of both servicemen and civilians is the number one priority. He is convinced that empty territories regained at the cost of excessive casualties would make no sense for the country’s future.
In addition to the human factor, technical support for the Armed Forces remains a critical issue. Despite ongoing assistance coordinated in particular by US President Donald Trump and European leaders, the volume of weapons is still insufficient for rapid offensive operations.
“It depends not only on us, but also on our partners. As of today, this is not available,” the head of state noted, commenting on the shortage of the necessary weapons to liberate all occupied regions.
Zelenskyy also underlined that a just peace is impossible without a return to internationally recognised borders. For Ukraine, the ultimate goal remains restoring sovereignty over all territories that were part of the country as of 1991.
“Ukraine’s victory is the preservation of our independence, and the victory of justice for the whole world is the return of all our lands,” the President concluded, adding that the liberation of territories is only a matter of time and the availability of the necessary forces.
Earlier, Zelenskyy responded to accusations regarding dictatorship and the initiation of the war.
He also explained what constitutes Ukraine’s victory.
