Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky churchill speech In the British Parliament on Tuesday, he vowed to fight to the end “in the woods, in the fields and in the streets”. But hours before his speech, via video-conferencing, he sent a clear signal in an interview to Russian President Vladimir Putin – that he was Willing to compromise on most sensitive issues like Ukraine’s bid to join NATO, and the situation in Russian-controlled Crimea and the breakaway Donetsk and Luhansk republics. He also called for “a collective security agreement” that would involve Russia, the US and Western European countries as part of a permanent solution. What makes his apparent concessions significant is that he made his announcement a day after the Kremlin set out three conditions to halt its “special military operation” in Ukraine: it wants Kyiv to make Crimea a Russian territory. Recognize Donetsk and Luhansk. Amendment of the country’s constitution to abandon attempts to join an independent republic and any bloc (NATO) and restore its neutrality. While Mr. Zelensky refrained from recognizing the broken territories, his proposal for compromise and dialogue opened a path towards a political settlement. The Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement on Wednesday that its goals would be better achieved through talks also signaled hope of a de-escalation.
In the past two weeks, Mr. Zelensky has emerged as the face of Ukrainian resistance. But he is also in a difficult position. Russian progress is slow given Russia’s relative power, but over the past 13 days, Ukraine has lost vast territories, from its northern border with Belarus to its southwestern Black Sea coast. Russia has not taken any major Ukrainian city except Kherson in the south, but is encircling most cities, including Kharkiv in the north and Mariupol in the southeast. Kyiv, the capital city, is being covered from the east and west. Mr. Zelensky has repeatedly sought military help from NATO. But his request for no fly zone was turned down. Even a Polish proposal to send its fleet of MiG-29 jet fighters was rejected by the US, which does not want any military involvement in the conflict. Therefore, the practical solution before Mr. Zelensky is to take advantage of Ukraine’s initial resistance and seek a solution through dialogue. Against this background, his remarks about Ukraine abandoning its NATO bid are a welcome move. But the question is whether Mr. Putin will accept it and be ready to de-escalate the tension. If Russia expected a quick collapse of the Ukrainian government, it has been proven wrong. The conflict of almost a fortnight has taken a toll on Russia’s economy. Its ties with Europe go back decades. It is no one’s interest to continue this war endlessly. If Mr. Putin’s primary concern is Russia’s security interests, he should stop the operation and begin serious talks with Ukrainians on Mr. Zelensky’s proposals.