No NATO invite, no elections, failed counteroffensive: Key quotes from Zelensky’s press conference
The press conference, which appeared to somewhat mimic the Q&A sessions hosted annually by Russian President Vladimir Putin, revolved around assorted issues, including Ukraine’s failed counteroffensive, mobilization, NATO prospects, and other topics.
On being lost in translation
“Life has changed so much, I now need a translator from Russian.”
On why the counteroffensive failed & new goals
“I cannot tell you about goals. We’ve had difficulties in the south precisely because everyone was talking about what our goals were. For months everyone was talking about where we were going, what was best. It’s okay, it’s warm there in the south, winter comes late, there are enough weapons. It doesn’t work that way with Russia, which has more weapons.”
On sending more people to fight
“[The military] proposed mobilizing an additional 450–500 thousand people … Regarding people, I need something more specific – what will happen to a million-strong Ukrainian army? Very strong, I believe.”
“We cannot lose our stability and potential, but we need justice. And regarding finances, mobilization in this format will cost Ukraine an additional 500 billion grivnas ($13.4 billion).”
On NATO aspirations
“Let’s imagine that part of Ukraine will be in NATO. These are high risks ... This means that [Putin] will enter and there will be a war with NATO.”
“Is partial accession to NATO even possible? We are not invited to NATO, and signals on the topic of partial participation are nonsense, we have never received such an offer from partners, I can’t imagine how this could happen.”
On having faith
“I’m confident the US will not betray us.”
On his tanking popularity
“As for supporting me as president, I said that I am honored to be president. And then people decide, people see how I work, how I serve Ukraine. If you don’t like it, well, it’s understandable. It’ll be the choice of Ukrainians, that’s fine.”
On how to get Ukrainian refugees back. . .
“I believe that the majority will return as soon as our air defenses become more powerful. A lot of people will return. I don’t know whether it will be a majority.
Hard to tell …
The second thing that will have an impact is a decrease in support from European countries. European countries and the US will support those for whom it is very difficult. But for those who find employment, I am sure they will have a different level of support. This does not apply to supporting Ukraine and Ukrainians who are within our state. The situation here will be stable.”
On canceling elections
“I cannot dissolve the [country’s parliament] because I cannot hold elections during wartime. I live by the law.”
20 December 2023
Double-Feature: Zelenskyy + Zelenskyy. . .Arseniy Yatsenyuk // Arseniy Yatsenyuk
Zelensky’s ‘peace formula’ absurd – Kremlin
- Kiev and its Western backers have for months been discussing Zelensky’s so-called ten-point peace plan.
- This proposal includes calls for Russia to withdraw from all territories claimed by Kiev, for Moscow to pay reparations, and for the formation of a war crimes tribunal.
- Russian authorities instantly rejected the proposal as “unrealistic” and out-of-touch with the situation on the ground.
- The press secretary was commenting on claims made by Zelensky on Tuesday that “the issue of negotiations with Russia is not relevant at the moment.”
- The Ukrainian leader also said that Kiev has a “peace plan” and that it will be presented to Russia once “the corresponding document is ready and all states unite around it.”
- If Moscow “accepts it, it will signal its readiness to negotiate,” he stated.
- He argued that there’ve have been “no grounds” for talks between Moscow and Kiev “since Ukraine left the negotiating table at the insistence of Britain” after both sides met in Istanbul in late March 2022.
- London’s role in derailing the peace process was confirmed by the head of the Ukrainian delegation to these negotiations, David Arakhamia, in November, the spokesman reminded reporters.
- According to Peskov, the chances of finding a settlement were reduced even further after “Ukraine basically legally prohibited any negotiations with the Russian side.”
- The spokesman was referring to a decree signed by President Zelensky last fall that forbids him from talking to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
Russia’s deputy UN ambassador, Dmitry Polyanskiy, said last week that Kiev had squandered its chances of a “favorable” agreement with Moscow. “Any possible deal now will be reflecting its capitulation,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter.)
During his Q&A session on Thursday, Putin insisted that “there will be peace [in Ukraine] when we achieve our goals” that include “the denazification and demilitarization of Ukraine, [as well as] its neutral status.”
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