Poroshenko rejected the exchange of territories and called for a complete ceasefire on an Italian TV channel
Фото:
Talks about exchanging territories are Putin’s scenario. First of all, there must be an unconditional ceasefire.
Petro Poroshenko stated this on the air of the Italian TV channel Sky TG24.
“I understand that Putin does not want to stop the war. Putin, and I know this because I am on the front lines every week, wanted to achieve much greater progress in the offensive of the Russian armed forces against Ukrainian positions. We have destroyed this plan. It does not have any significant successes, despite all the difficulties that Ukraine is facing in this war, especially in the East of our country, in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, in Sumy and Zaporizhia. I think that Putin’s attempt to apply a very strange approach, for example, an exchange of territories, can harm the process,” Petro Poroshenko said.
He also added that in Ukraine we do not trade or sell our territories. This would be a brutal violation of the entire post-war security system.
Poroshenko noted that Ukrainians want to preserve and protect internationally recognized borders and stop the Russian dictator’s attempt to conduct long and empty negotiations.
“I had such an experience with Putin in 2015, when we held long, non-stop, 19-hour negotiations in Minsk, when the Minsk agreements were being prepared. From all my experience, it is absolutely necessary that we start with a comprehensive, unconditional ceasefire,” Poroshenko emphasized.
He also recalled that the condition “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” was introduced by him back in 2014. Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine is the highest priority.
“Similarly, there is nothing about European security without Europe. I definitely want the European Union and Ukraine to be at the negotiating table together with the United States. Together we are stronger,” Poroshenko noted.
He also said he does not expect a peace deal to result from the Trump-Putin meeting. However, Poroshenko is cautiously optimistic. It is expected that a comprehensive, unconditional ceasefire will be achieved as a result of this meeting.
“Putin is trying to manipulate the facts. Please, do not pay attention to this. We must create a coalition of power, because Putin understands only the language of power. And if it is consolidated, it will yield results. At the same time, if Putin rejects our coalition’s proposal, there must be a plan B,” Poroshenko said.
The “plan B” should include:
- an increase in weapons for Ukraine, including offensive weapons;
- increasing sanctions against the Russian Federation;
- Increased funding for Ukraine to support Ukraine’s struggle;
- strengthening security guarantees for Ukraine, including NATO Article 5;
- Accelerating the progress of Ukraine’s European integration.
As a reminder, Trump announced that he would travel to Russia on Friday, August 15, where he plans to meet with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. It later became known that Trump and Putin would meet at Elmendorf-Richardson Air Force Base in Anchorage.
Also follow “Pryamim” on Facebook , Twitter , Telegram , and Instagram.