Zelenskyy reaffirms his refusal to cede land to Russia as he rallies European support
apnews.com
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reaffirmed his refusal to cede territory, resisting U.S. pressure for compromise with Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reaffimed his firm refusal to cede any territory, resisting U.S. pressure for a painful compromise with Russia as he continued to rally European support for Ukraine.

“Undoubtedly, Russia insists for us to give up territories. We, clearly, don’t want to give up anything. That’s what we are fighting for,” Zelenskyy said in a WhatsApp chat late Monday in which he answered reporters’ questions.

“Do we consider ceding any territories? According to the law we don’t have such right. According to Ukraine’s law, our constitution, international law, and to be frank, we don’t have a moral right either.”

  • Furbag@lemmy.worldEnglish
    25·
    16 hours ago

    Your negotiation with the used car salesman doesn’t end when you get half off sticker price and the salesman gets sticker price. That’s just a contradiction.

    What kind of idiotic analogy is this? I can’t even wrap my head around it.

    Regardless… called it what you want: surrender, capitulation, conceding territory, etc… it’s just semantics.

    No, it’s really not just “semantics”. Words have specific meaning.

    I completely believe that the majority of Ukrainians want a negotiated end to the war. War sucks and everybody who has had to live trough one will tell you so. But if the “negotiation” is Russia saying “Give us all the territory we have occupied/seized so far, plus some additional territory that we have not yet occupied, and we will withdraw our troops.” that’s not a negotiation. That’s conditional surrender. I really doubt that the people are clamoring to surrender their land and homes to Russian occupiers.

    Suppose the Ukrainian people wish to surrender. Would you still stand with them?

    I suspect that no matter what I think the Ukrainian people should do, if they decide that they are ready to give up the fight, then that’s none of my business. I’m not in the trenches with a rifle, after all.

    But if they Ukrainian people want to continue to fight, and negotiate for a favorable peace agreement, I’m all for supporting them so that they can win and make all the bloodshed so far worth it.

    I’m gonna go out on a limb here and guess that Zelenskyy has a better grasp of the pulse of his own citizens than any of us do.

    • Ferrous@lemmy.mlEnglish
      125·
      15 hours ago

      if they decide that they are ready to give up the fight, then that’s none of my business

      But if they Ukrainian people want to continue to fight, […] I’m all for supporting them

      Thats some precise and deliberate language you’re using. Yet you’ve still avoided answering the simple question.

      Sending tens of thousands of Ukrainians into the grinder?

      "Hell yeah! Slava Ukraini! To the last man!

      Ukrainians use their agency to negotiate an end to the war

      “Meh, not my business”

      It’s pretty clear that when this war most likely ends via negotiation and a land concession, all the gung ho support we see in threads like this one is going to evaporate.

      • Furbag@lemmy.worldEnglish
        16·
        15 hours ago

        lmao, bro, I can’t force them to fight. I’m just a guy on the other end of the computer. I think you don’t understand what the word “support” means.

        I support Ukraine’s right to independence and freedom.

        I support the cessation of hostilities in the region.

        I do not support surrender to Russia. Why would I? Choosing to fight and choosing not to fight are two diametrically opposed concepts. Therefore, I do not support a resolution in which Ukraine gives up land to Russia, period.

        It’s pretty clear that when this war most likely ends via negotiation and a land concession,

        Don’t hold your breath on this one, Chief.

        all the gung ho support we see in threads like this one is going to evaporate.

        Wow, what a stunning prediction. Next are you going to predict that the sun will come back up again after it goes down?

        Regardless of how the war ends, the support generally ends with it. That’s how thing things tend to work. it’s pretty hard to care about a think when the thing is no longer happening. If Ukraine achieved victory through martial victory alone and ended the war purely on their terms, my support would also evaporate because the war would be over.

        • Ferrous@lemmy.mlEnglish
          317·
          14 hours ago

          I do not support a resolution in which Ukraine gives up land to Russia, period.

          Well thank you for finally giving up on the evasiveness. Ukrainian agency means nothing to you.

          To stand with Ukraine means to affirm the average Ukrainian’s agency. To affirm their agency to dictate the terms of the end of the war - even if it means they wish to surrender. You will not affirm Ukrainians if they decide to surrender, so you dont stand with Ukraine. You stand with Zelensky, at best. You stand with Ukraine *so long as they promise to sacrifice the last able-bodied soldier, at worst.

          So let’s just all be clear and understand that you dont stand with Ukraine. You tentatively condone them, so long as…

          • SupraMario@lemmy.worldEnglish
            92·
            10 hours ago

            Please move to Russia… I’ll buy the plane ticket. Bring some sunflower seeds when you leave, you’ll need them