President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of attempting to seize Ukraine on the fourth anniversary of the conflict, claiming that he had failed to accomplish this and other military objectives.
Zelensky said that Ukraine was prepared to do “everything” it could to ensure a solid, long-lasting peace in a video speech that featured Ukrainians doing acts of resistance against Russian forces in the early days of the conflict.
Since Russia’s invasion of its neighbor on February 24, 2022, the worst war to erupt on European continent since World War II has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.
The United States reopened talks between the two sides last year, but they haven’t been able to stop the war, which has left the nation devastated and facing an enormous reconstruction burden.
“Putin has failed to meet his objectives. The Ukrainians were not broken by him. This conflict was not won by him. In his speech, Zelensky declared, “We have preserved Ukraine, and we will do everything to achieve peace — and to ensure there is justice.”
“We want peace. Zelensky stated that any agreement “must not simply be signed, it must be accepted by Ukrainians” and called for a “strong, dignified, and lasting peace.”
To commemorate the occasion, Ukrainian leaders visited the nation on Tuesday, including Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, was also present and stated that she wished to reiterate that Europe was “unwaveringly with Ukraine, financially, militarily, and through this harsh winter.”
And to make it very evident to both the aggressor and the Ukrainian people that we will not give up until peace is restored. In a social media video, she declared, “Peace on Ukraine’s terms.”
Before visiting Zelensky and participating in a videoconference with Kyiv’s allies, which include Britain, France, and Germany, she is anticipated to attend a “commemoration ceremony” and tour a Ukrainian energy complex that has been destroyed by Russian strikes.
Moscow and Kyiv are still at war over territory, despite the United States’ efforts to put an end to the conflict that has devastated a large portion of eastern and southern Ukraine.
As part of any agreement, Russia, which controls around 20% of Ukraine, is demanding complete authority over the eastern Donetsk region.
If Kyiv does not yield at the bargaining table, it has threatened to seize it by force.
In order to prevent Russia from invading again, Ukraine has rejected the proposal and stated that it will not sign an agreement unless allies, notably the US, provide security guarantees.
In recent months, Moscow has intensified its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, causing millions of Ukrainians to lose power and heating over the winter.
Moscow has been forced to reroute its major oil supplies to new markets, mainly in Asia, as a result of the severe sanctions imposed by Kyiv’s supporters.
Russian forces have made modest progress on the front line in recent months, especially in the eastern Donbas region, which Moscow seeks to seize, while suffering significant casualties.
However, following any peace agreement, Russia has vetoed Ukrainian demands for the deployment of European troops in Ukraine.
If diplomacy fails, President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly threatened to use force to achieve his goals.
Reconstruction
Ukraine, which was among the poorest nations in Europe prior to the conflict, has been ravaged by the grueling four-year conflict.
A combined World Bank, EU, and UN report with Kyiv, released on Monday, estimates that post-war rehabilitation will cost approximately $588 billion over the next ten years.
Russia justified its force deployment into Ukraine as a defensive measure to thwart Ukraine’s NATO aspirations.
Putin claimed that his troops were protecting Russia’s “borders” in order to maintain “strategic parity” between nations and to fight for the nation’s “future” during a medal ceremony on Monday to commemorate “Defenders of the Fatherland Day.”
The war is seen by Ukraine, a former Soviet country, as a revival of Russian imperialism with the goal of enslaving the Ukrainian people.
Zelensky told AFP ahead of the anniversary last week that Ukraine was not losing the war and encouraged European nations to place soldiers directly on the front lines in the event of a ceasefire in order to prevent another Russian onslaught.
