Simply giving up territory to Russia is unacceptable for Ukraine. It would be unjust peace, Syrskyi says
It would be "unacceptable" for Ukraine to simply give up its territory in any peace deal with Russia.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi said this in an interview with Sky News, Censor.NET reports.
Giving up territory is not true peace for Ukraine
Syrskyi said that a "just peace" can only be achieved if hostilities are stopped along the current front lines and negotiations then begin.
In his view, Russia is using peace talks as a "cover" to seize more Ukrainian territory.
"Our main mission is to defend our land, our country, and our population. Naturally, for us it is unacceptable to simply give up territory. What does it even mean - to hand over our land? This is precisely why we are fighting; so we do not give up our territory," the Commander-in-Chief stressed.
Territorial concessions regarding Donbas
- Nearly four years on, Russia occupies almost one-fifth of Ukraine, including large parts of Donbas, but has fallen far short of its initial goal of installing a pro-Kremlin government in Kyiv, the outlet notes.
Asked whether the sacrifices of those who gave their lives defending their country would be in vain if Ukraine were forced to hand over to Moscow the land it still controls in Donbas, Syrskyi replied:
"You know, I do not even allow myself to consider such a scenario. All wars end sooner or later, and of course we hope that ours will end as well. And when that happens, a just peace must be established.
As I see it, a just peace is a peace without preconditions, without giving up territory. That means stopping along the current line of contact.
He clarified that there must be an unconditional ceasefire followed by negotiations: "Any other format would be an unjust peace, and that is unacceptable for us."
