Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made it clear that Ukraine will not give up any of its territory to Russia without the consent of the Ukrainian people.
In a recent interview with French media, Zelensky said, "You must understand that any issue concerning the territorial integrity of Ukraine cannot be resolved by one president, one person, or all the presidents of the world without the Ukrainian people."
Zelensky stressed that while no one has officially asked Ukraine to give up land, the government has no right to make that decision without the people's approval.
"Ukraine will never give up its territories. Officially, those in power do not have the right to give up their territories. The Ukrainian people must want this," he told the French newspapers Le Monde, Libération, L'Équipe, and the French news agency AFP.
Peace Talks with Russia
Zelensky also noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin would likely see any territorial concession as a victory, making the situation even more complicated.
Regarding future peace talks, the Ukrainian President expressed a desire for Russia to be present at the negotiating table.
"I believe—like most countries—that representatives of Russia should be present at the second peace summit in November; otherwise, we will not achieve any viable results," Zelensky said.
He added that if the international community wants Russia involved in peace negotiations, Ukraine cannot oppose it.
Zelensky also spoke about the ongoing war of aggression that Russia launched against Ukraine nearly two and a half years ago.
He hopes that Ukraine will be allowed to target military sites within Russia using American and European long-range missiles.
However, he acknowledged that Ukraine's partners are currently hesitant to approve such actions.
