Ukrainian president talks about 'strong step' to end war with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the United States to allow Kiev to strike deeper into Russian territory in a “strong step” to end the war with Moscow.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a video address on the evening of August 31, 2024. Photo cut from a clip posted by the Press Office of the President of Ukraine and rebroadcast by Reuters news agency

In a video statement released by the Ukrainian President's Press Office on the evening of August 31, Volodymyr Zelensky increased pressure on Washington to allow Kiev to attack deeper into the territory of the Russian Federation after his representatives met with senior US officials.

“I appeal to the United States, Britain, France and Germany: we need the capabilities to truly and comprehensively protect Ukraine and its people. We need to be granted both your long-range capabilities and your long-range artillery and missiles. These important decisions that can have the most significant impact on events should not be postponed,” the Ukrainian president said.

In his speech, Mr. Zelensky also emphasized that clearing the skies of Ukraine from guided bombs of the Russian Federation is a strong step to force Moscow to find a way to end the war and achieve a just peace.

In a related development, US CNN reported that while visiting the US, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov asked the US to lift restrictions on the use of long-range weapons to strike deeper into the territory of the Russian Federation.

In an interview with CNN's "The Situation Room" program on August 30, Mr. Umerov also confirmed that he had presented the list of attack targets during a meeting with senior US officials in Washington.

Ukraine's Defense Minister stressed that Kiev aims to use long-range weapons to protect civilians and the country's infrastructure and explained what kind of weapons are needed to protect people from Russian aggression.

Washington has provided Ukraine with more than $50 billion in military aid since 2022, but has limited the use of its weapons on Ukrainian soil and for cross-border defense operations, Reuters reported.

CNN added that so far, the US has no plans to ease restrictions on Ukraine's use of the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS).

On August 27, Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder reiterated that US policy regarding deep strikes into Russian territory has not changed, meaning that restrictions still apply.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Photo: AFP/VNA

On the Russian side, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned those trying to hinder peace talks between Moscow and Kiev that the negotiations will become more and more difficult over time.

“Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about potential talks a year and a half ago. He said that we are not against it… The opponents must understand that the longer they drag on, the harder it will be to agree on anything. It would have been easy to reach an agreement in Istanbul, less than a month after the start of our special military operation. But Ukraine does not want that,” Lavrov said in an interview with RT.

Russia's senior diplomat also stressed that the country will not negotiate Ukraine's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would cease fire and begin negotiations with Ukraine once Kiev withdrew its troops from areas it considers its own and abandoned plans to join NATO. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected the proposal.

According to VNA

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/tong-thong-ukraine-noi-ve-buoc-di-manh-me-de-ket-thuc-chien-tranh-voi-nga-post756732.html