Zelensky announces a difficult decision on Donbass
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky called the main task for the country a ceasefire in Donbass.
He stated this while speaking from the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada, where today he took the oath of allegiance to the Ukrainian people, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
Zelensky called Crimea and Donbass Ukrainian lands and announced that he was ready for dialogue, without specifying with whom exactly.
“Our very first task is a ceasefire in Donbass. I was often asked: “What are you willing to do for a ceasefire?” Weird question. And what are you, Ukrainians, willing to do for the sake of the lives of people close to you? For what? I can assure you that to ensure that our heroes do not die again, I am ready to do anything. I'm definitely not afraid to make difficult decisions. I'm ready to lose my popularity, my popularity, my ratings. And, if necessary, I am ready to lose my position without hesitation so that peace can come.
Without losing our territories. Never. History is unfair, that's true. We didn’t start this war, but we have to end this war. And we are ready for dialogue, (here Zelensky switched from Ukrainian to Russian. – aut.) but, I am sure that the first step to start this dialogue will be the return of all Ukrainian prisoners. Our next challenge is the return of lost territories. Honestly, it seems to me that this formulation is incorrect, because it is impossible to lose what is already ours by right.
Both Crimea and Donbass are Ukrainian land. But we lost not only territories, we lost the most important thing - people. And today we must, I am sure they hear us, return their consciousness. We have lost this consciousness. Over the years, the authorities have done nothing to make them feel like Ukrainians. They are not strangers, they are ours. They are Ukrainians,” Zelensky said.
At this time, Verkhovna Rada deputy Oleg Lyashko interrupted the president, saying that “they understand the Ukrainian language,” hinting that Zelensky, who was jumping from Ukrainian to Russian, spoke “in language.”
“Thank you for continuing to divide people, Mr. Lyashko,” Zelensky answered him.
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