Zelensky Chooses People Over Territory: "Victory Means Saving Many Lives"

Revealed in Interview with UK Economist
Criticism of Western Lukewarm Attitude
Condemnation of Inhumanity of Russian Military Commanders

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] On the 27th (local time), after Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, expressed the possibility of compromise with Russia regarding the Donbas region, he reiterated that true victory lies not in territorial defense but in protecting his own people.

Land is just a jurisdiction

In an interview with the British magazine The Economist published on the 27th (local time), President Zelensky said, "Victory means saving as many lives as possible," adding, "Without this, nothing else makes sense." The interview took place at the government building, which had been fortified like a fortress with sandbags stacked layer upon layer in preparation for Russian airstrikes.

He further stated, "Of course, our land is important. But ultimately, it is just a jurisdiction." The Economist added that President Zelensky acknowledged that while he aims to protect all national interests, it may be impossible not to give up either the people or the territory.

These remarks by President Zelensky came after a video interview via Zoom with independent Russian journalists on the 27th (local time), where he expressed a willingness to compromise with Russia on the Donbas issue. Zelensky reportedly stated that Ukraine is prepared to discuss adopting a neutral status as part of a peace agreement with Russia.

"We are not guinea pigs"

President Zelensky also criticized the lukewarm attitude of Western countries. Sberbank, Russia's largest bank, was not excluded from the SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) system despite being a payment channel for European purchases of Russian crude oil.

He said, "I heard that the European ban on Russian crude oil depends on whether Russia uses chemical weapons against Ukraine. This is not the right approach," and criticized, "We are not guinea pigs."

Condemnation of the inhumanity of war

He also condemned the inhumane behavior of the Russian military. He said, "About 15,000 (Russian soldiers) have died in one month," and added, "(Vladimir Putin) is throwing Russian soldiers into the train's furnace like logs."

He continued, "They kidnapped mayors of our cities and killed some of them, and some were replaced," adding, "(Russia) is repeating the exact same behavior it exhibited in Donbas in 2014." Many point out that the current war crisis in the Donbas region resembles Russia's invasion of the Crimean Peninsula eight years ago.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.