Ukrainian president says defense is at a 'turning point'

[Rogue Valley]

Ukrainian president says defense is at a 'turning point'

3.30.22
Ukraine's president said his country's defense against the Russian invasion was at a “turning point” and again pressed the United States for more help, hours after the Kremlin's forces reneged on a pledge to scale back some of their operations.
Russian bombardment of areas around Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv and intensified attacks elsewhere in the country further undermined hopes for progress toward ending the bloody conflict that has devolved into a war of attrition. Civilians trapped in besieged cities have shouldered some of the worst suffering, though both sides said Thursday they would attempt another evacuation from the port city of Mariupol. Talks between Ukraine and Russia were set to resume Friday by video, according to the head of the Ukrainian delegation, David Arakhamia. A delegation of Ukrainian lawmakers visited Washington on Wednesday to push for more U.S. assistance, saying their nation needs more military equipment, more financial help and tougher sanctions against Russia. “We need to kick Russian soldiers off our land, and for that we need all, all possible weapons,” Ukrainian parliament member Anastasia Radina said at a news conference at the Ukrainian Embassy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made the case directly to U.S. President Joe Biden. “If we really are fighting for freedom and in defense of democracy together, then we have a right to demand help in this difficult turning point. Tanks, aircraft, artillery systems. Freedom should be armed no worse than tyranny,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address to the nation. There seemed little faith that Russia and Ukraine will resolve the conflict soon, particularly after the Russian military's about-face and its most recent attacks. Ukrainian officials reported that Russian shelling was hitting homes, stores, libraries and other civilian sites in or near those areas. Britain’s Defense Ministry also confirmed “significant Russian shelling and missile strikes" around Chernihiv.
Olexander Lomako, secretary of the Chernihiv city council, said the Russian announcement turned out to be “a complete lie.” “At night they didn’t decrease, but vice versa increased the intensity of military action,” Lomako said. Oleksandr Pavliuk, head of the Kyiv region military administration, said Russian shells targeted residential areas and civilian infrastructure in the Bucha, Brovary and Vyshhorod regions around the capital.

<20% of Russian forces arrayed around Kyiv have been repositioned.

 

[ttwtt78640]

Ukrainian president says defense is at a 'turning point'

<20% of Russian forces arrayed around Kyiv have been repositioned.

The Zelenskyy negotiating position appears to be that Russia can keep the Ukrainian territory taken (occupied?) prior to it’s most recent territorial gains. That appears to be sending the message to Putin that the longer he waits to be willing to make a deal, the more of Ukrainian territory that he will be able (allowed?) to keep. The NATO position seems to be that the more military aid that Ukraine is given the more likely Putin will be to decide that he is actually (already) fighting NATO and still able to gain more territory.

 

[Loulit01]

The Zelenskyy negotiating position appears to be that Russia can keep the Ukrainian territory taken (occupied?) prior to it’s most recent territorial gains.

No. The Ukrainian government's position is, "No regime change, not 1 inch of soil."

Kyiv has repeatedly demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory - including Crimea. Ukrainian officials say they will not accept annexation of territory or recognise the Russian-backed rebel regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.

Recognition of what amounts to effective Russian sovereignty over up to a third of its territory would be difficult for any Ukrainian leader.

Explainer: Peace talks on Ukraine - Russia's red lines unchanged

Russia and Ukraine are talking about a peace deal while their soldiers kill each other, but there has been no breakthrough and they remain far apart on the question of territory.

www.reuters.com

That appears to be sending the message to Putin that the longer he waits to be willing to make a deal, the more of Ukrainian territory that he will be able (allowed?) to keep. The NATO position seems to be that the more military aid that Ukraine is given the more likely Putin will be to decide that he is actually (already) fighting NATO and still able to gain more territory.

I don't understand how you're arriving at these theories.

 

[Rogue Valley]

The Zelenskyy negotiating position appears to be that Russia can keep the Ukrainian territory taken (occupied?) prior to it’s most recent territorial gains. That appears to be sending the message to Putin that the longer he waits to be willing to make a deal, the more of Ukrainian territory that he will be able (allowed?) to keep. The NATO position seems to be that the more military aid that Ukraine is given the more likely Putin will be to decide that he is actually (already) fighting NATO and still able to gain more territory.

At no time since his election in 2019 has Zelenskyy even hinted that he was willing to jettison Crimea and the occupied Donbas territories.

What he did say last week was that whatever formula is agreed to by Ukraine at the negotiations will be presented to the Ukrainian people in a referendum.

Zelenskyy will not be the one to decide. The nation will decide.