Zelenskyy: Ukraine will hold seized territory of Kursk region until it forces Putin to negotiate
Ukraine will hold the seized territories of the Russian Kursk region until it forces Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.
The president said this in an interview with NBC News, Censor.NET reports.
"We don't need their land. We don't want to bring our Ukrainian way of life there," the head of state emphasized.
According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine will "hold" the territory, as it is an integral part of the "victory plan" to end the war. The president added that he would present this proposal to international partners, including the United States.
"We need it now," Zelenskyy said of the territory that Ukraine currently holds in Russia.
The head of state also said that he could not discuss whether Ukraine plans to try to seize more Russian territory.
"I won't say, sorry, I can't talk about it. This is like the beginning of our Kursk operation. With all due respect, I can't talk about it, I think the success is very close to unexpected," the Ukrainian leader said.
Zelenskyy also said that the administration of US President Joe Biden was not aware of Ukraine's preparations for the operation in the Kursk region. The planning, he said, was carried out in strict secrecy.
"Yes, we did not inform anyone. And it's not a matter of distrust," Zelenskyy emphasized, adding that the Ukrainian Armed Forces' counteroffensive last summer failed largely because it was heavily advertised and announced, giving the Russians time to prepare.
