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Ukraine has rejected talks of a ceasefire with Russia after being helped by the United States’ advanced HIMARS rocket system. Photos/REUTERS
President Volodymyr Zelensky said a ceasefire without Ukraine reclaiming territory controlled by Russian troops would only prolong the war.
The rejection of the ceasefire was displayed Zelensky in an interview with Wall Street Journal on Friday (22/7/2022).
He warned that a ceasefire that would allow Russia to hold on to Ukrainian territory seized since its invasion in February would only encourage a wider conflict.
More than that, he said, the ceasefire also gave Moscow an opportunity to restock and rearm its forces for the next round of war.
Also read: Russia Destroys 4 American HIMARS with High-Precision Missiles
Zelensky then boasted of the US-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), saying; “The supply of HIMAS West, while making up a material difference, is much lower than what Ukraine needs to turn things around.”
“Freezing the conflict with the Russian Federation means a pause that gives the Russian Federation a break to rest,” Zelensky said.
“People believe that all territories should be liberated first, and then we can negotiate about what to do and how we can live in the centuries to come,” he said.
“The more pressing need is an air defense system that can prevent Russia from raining long-range missiles on peaceful cities, hundreds of miles from the front line,” Zelensky added.
Referring to the agreement signed with Russia to reopen grain exports, Zelensky said, “Diplomatic concessions to Moscow may stabilize the market somewhat, but will only provide a temporary respite and boomerang in the future.”
Russia and Ukraine signed a landmark deal on Friday to reopen Ukraine’s Black Sea ports for grain exports, raising hopes that the international food crisis exacerbated by the Russian invasion can be eased.
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