Zelenskyy refuses to cede land to Russia as he rallies European support

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-trump-putin-cf17d925e21e6d6329fadff7e3efbb90

23 Comments

  1. News snippet: ROME (AP) — 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.”

    The Ukrainian president met early Tuesday with Pope Leo XIV at Castel Gandolfo, a papal residence outside Rome, and is to have talks with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni later. The Vatican said that Leo “reiterated the need for the continuation of dialogue and expressed his urgent desire that the current diplomatic initiatives bring about a just and lasting peace.”

  2. While the Russian papers print headlines saying “Europe is siderailing Trump’s peace plan!!” What a disgrace the US has become.

  3. From the moment Zelenskyy makes concessions on turf I feel like his term will start declining rapidly and he knows it.

  4. My parents always taught me, if someone bullies me at school and asks for my lunch snack, it´s best to give it to him so he learns to never do it again! s/

    Seriously, the only way the Russians will ever stop is if they will crawl back to Russia beaten black and blue. For the security of the entire continent, it´s important that we don´t reward Putin´s crusade with anything but hardship. If we give in now, the only lesson learned for Putin is which strategy to apply next time when the Baltics are up for a round, to maximize how much land he can grab.

  5. I assume then that Europe have backed him in private, even if we are all having to do yet another song and dance pretending to look interested in the latest MAGA parroting of Russian demands. 

  6. Ruhrgebietheld on

    As it obviously should be. If Trump is genuine about wanting to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, he has to accept this as a red line that cannot be crossed. But I’m pretty sure he already knows that and just wants to ignore it so he can further cozy up to Putin for rea$on$.

  7. Farewell-Farewell on

    Quite right. I think it’s extraordinary that some Western democracies (not mentioning any names) think that a belligerent like Russia should be rewarded.

  8. Good for Ukraine, but what is their plan to win militarily and take back land from an entrenched Russian military? 

    Russia doesn’t blink at a war of attrition, and can Ukraine fight for another 5-10 years with reported manpower problems?

  9. The fact this is even discussed is ridiculous. I thought we moved past gaining Land through conquest

  10. Cede land, you lose it forever, and Russia will just come for the next bit of land.

    It would literally be the dumbest move in military history to accept any plan that allowed Russia to just keep the land it invaded after agreeing it wouldn’t (and in which the US is ALREADY complicit because it was supposed to help defend it).

    Look at Crimea. 11 years since they just annexed it, 34 years since it was an autonomous republic, 70 years since the USSR gave it to the Ukraine.

    Ukraine can’t concede, if it does it’d be forced to stop fighting in it, and if it does that, they’ll just move the frontline further along and it’ll just cease to exist as a country before long.

  11. Spirited_Soul_001 on

    Invaders should not be rewarded for the death and destruction they have caused to Ukraine. If land is given, it will emboldened Russia to invade again. Perhaps they will try Estonia or other NATO border country to test response. The mad king, Putin, is unpredictable and will hopefully be removed from power by the people soon.

  12. Russia will continue its salami tactics if we let them. There is only absolutely crushing defeat or surrender. In any case, they should get nothing but punishment.

  13. Putin is manipulating Trump to steal an outright win just like Trump is manipulating red states to gerrymander. If Ukraine cedes land Russia will come back for more, then spread to other past Iron Curtain regions and countries.

    Europe needs to turn up their military machine and start supplying Ukraine while locking in sanctions against Russia and countries that support it. Russia does not have the military for a decisive win nor do they have the soldiers. In a war of attrition, they will lose exactly like they did in Afghanistan.

    This is why we study history, so we don’t repeat it. Trump will not last the next 18 months, he will either drop dead or get impeached. Vance, though he is anti Ukraine is also a total pussy and will bow to republican leadership, which totally hates Russia but is being told to shut up.

    Putin will end the war when he realizes the cost outweighs the benefits, right now he is sitting in good shape but everything still relies on Europe. Europe needs to band together and say “no more”

  14. UsedGarbage4489 on

    But just an hour ago i weas told Trump sidelined Europe on ukraine deal. Am i being lied to?