The pledges made by Zelensky, which a Ukrainian diplomat sought to reinforce in an exclusive interview with “Sky News Arabia”, emphasized the role of “effective” international support seeking to restore the occupied lands, and stressed that “Kyiv will not give up an inch of its territory.”
But experts in the military and political affairs estimated that “Zelensky wants to give morale to himself and those with him, as his pledges regarding Crimea and the east of the country are difficult to implement in practice, and a long-term bet fraught with dangers.”
At the same time, these experts told “Sky News Arabia” in separate interviews that “Ukraine’s present armaments do not allow for the deployment of effective and forceful offensive operations that force Russian forces to retire from regions they control.”
“Ukraine will recapture Donbass and Crimea in every manner possible,” President Zelensky stated in an address marking his country’s 31st anniversary of independence on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, he remarked at the International Crimean Summit, attended by delegates from 50 nations, that “the conflict began in Crimea and will finish with it,” vowing to recover the peninsula occupied by Russia in 2014.
He stated that “success in the face of Russian troops is required to restore security and stability to Europe and the globe.”
Zelensky’s remarks coincided with the 31st anniversary of Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union, as well as the passing of six months since the commencement of the Russian military action on February 24.
“We will not relinquish even an inch of our land.” In an exclusive interview with “Sky News Arabia,” Ukrainian ambassador Ivan Syheda stated, in response to Zelensky’s remarks regarding reinstating Russian-controlled territory, that “Ukraine would not give up an inch of its seized territories.”
“There is effective international backing to restore all seized lands to Ukrainian sovereignty,” he stated.
“With the bolstering of the Ukrainian army with new weapons and training in their use, we are presently effectively attacking Russia’s logistical bases in order to compel them to retreat, and to free the temporarily seized regions from Moscow,” he added.
On condition, we are ready for peace. Noting that Kyiv is exercising its right to self-defense and land liberation in line with international law, the Ukrainian envoy stated: “We are ready to terminate the war diplomatically and sit at the negotiation table on the condition that Russia withdraw from the seized regions.”
Today, on the anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, US President Joe Biden announced a fresh $3 billion military aid package for Ukraine.
On Wednesday, the European Union’s foreign policy leader, Josep Borrell, stated in a tweet that the EU will continue to support the Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom and independence.
“Six months into Russia’s military campaign against Ukraine, six months in which Ukrainians have fought for the right to select their own destiny,” Borrell stated, “the European Union will continue to stand with you in preserving your freedom and independence.”
“Morale boosting” In contrast to the Ukrainian leadership’s assessments of the lands that fell under Russian control, Egyptian strategist Major General Samir Farag focused his military assessment and reading on the difficulty of restoring the Crimean Donbass lands and other Russian forces, referring Zelensky’s statements to an attempt to “raise morale” among his people and soldiers.
In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Faraj stated that: Restoring territory necessitates the Ukrainian side possessing superior offensive weaponry, however all weapons given to Kiev thus far from America and Western countries are defensive and have a limited offensive range.
“The Ukrainian side does not have advanced offensive weapons such as modern, high-precision hypersonic missile systems, similar to what Moscow possesses, such as the Kinzhal and Tsirkon system, as well as a lack of combat aircraft such as the MiG-29, which Kyiv requested from Poland under the NATO umbrella earlier, but she has not received it yet,” he asserts.
In this regard, he added, “The current Kyiv weapons do not allow the implementation of effective offensive operations against Russian forces to force them to retreat, as there are no combat aircraft or high-precision missiles,” noting that the American “HIMARS” is an artillery missile system, albeit more accurate than Ukrainian artillery, dating back to the Soviet era.
“Zelensky wants to boost his own and others’ morale,” said Khattar Abou Diab, a professor of international affairs at the University of Paris.
Abu Diab said in an exclusive interview with “Sky News Arabia” that the Ukrainian president’s address was “a long-term bet laden with pitfalls.”
The vows made by Zelensky, which a Ukrainian ambassador attempted to underscore in an exclusive interview with “Sky News Arabia,” emphasised the importance of “effective” international cooperation in restoring the seized regions, as well as the fact that “Kyiv would not give up one inch of its territory.”
However, military and political analysts believe that “Zelensky wants to boost morale to himself and those with him, because his vows on Crimea and the east of the country are impossible to accomplish in fact, and a long-term gamble filled with perils.”
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