Zelenskyy says ceasefire with Russia without recapturing lost territories 'will widen war'

On the 150th day of the brutal Russian war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that Kyiv "will not" cease counter-attack until it has regained all of its occupied territories. Speaking in an interview with Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the embattled President explained that entering a ceasefire with Moscow with the Ukrainian territories under Russian occupation would only "prolong the war." He warned allowing Russia to keep the seized lands "will encourage" a deeper and expanded conflict, instead of completely stopping it.

"Freezing the conflict temporarily with the Russian Federation will only give them a break for the rest," Zelenskyy told the publication.

"They will not use this paise to change their geopolitics or to renounce their claims in the former Soviet Republics," he said, adding that it will buy them time to replenish their armament supplies.

Talking about the economic losses Ukraine is facing since the beginning of the invasion on February 24, Zelenskyy outlined that massive infrastructural damages have poked a major hole in the country's economy. He added the economic pain from the conflict has had a ripple effect beyond Ukrainian borders, putting millions of people on the edge of a food crisis. Further, he noted skyrocketing energy prices coupled with the suspension of Russian gas to Europe has also worried civilians about surviving through the coming winter.

Zelenskyy says 'won't succumb to Russian blackmails'

Zelenskyy admitted that the cost of the war has inflicted on Western businesses and expressed gratitude to the Western allies for refusing to bow down to Russian threats. "It is a matter of values," he said, adding that the civilians are suffering because of "crises manufactured by Russians." He hailed the "strong Ukrainians" who also believe that the occupied territories must be liberated before negotiating with Russia.

Zelenskyy hails food grain export deal

The Ukrainian President on Friday hailed the UN-brokered agricultural export deal signed with Russia. The agreement inked in Istanbul, in presence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the UN chief Antonio Guterres "will allow Ukrainian ports to restore grain exports," Zelenskyy said. Marking the agreement as a major breakthrough, he noted: "From the first day of the full-scale invasion, Russia did everything to not just close Ukraine's access to the sea, but to destroy the very potential of our exports – port infrastructure, our railways, warehouses, and silos. We did not allow it."

(Image: @president.gov.ua)