Ukraine says it stands firm on recognition of 1991 borders
Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and has recognised Luhansk and Donetsk as independent
Published: 05:03 PM,Mar 17,2022 | EDITED : 10:03 PM,Mar 17,2022
Fleeing Ukrainans arrive at a border checkpoint in Kroscienko, Poland. -- Reuters
LVIV: Ukraine's president has not altered his stance that his country's borders must be recognised as the frontiers it had at the time of the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991, an aide said on Thursday.
The comments by political adviser Oleksiy Arestovych appeared designed to douse any talk of President Volodymyr Zelensky allowing border changes to secure a deal with Russia to end its attack of its neighbour.
Russia annexed the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and Russia has recognised declarations of independence by the self-proclaimed republics of Luhansk and Donetsk in the Donbass area of eastern Ukraine which rose up against Kyiv's rule.
Those two regions and Crimea were part of Ukraine when it declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and continue to be recognised by the United Nations as part of Ukraine.
Zelensky has said repeatedly that he will not compromise on his country's 'territorial integrity.'
'His main position has not changed,' Arestovych said on national television. 'We will never give up our national interests.'
Another presidential adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, outlined Ukraine's position in an interview with Polish media.
'One of the key issues (for a peace agreement) remains how to resolve territorial issues in the occupied Crimea and Donbass,' Podolyak said in a copy of the interview released by the Ukrainian presidency.
'Regarding the occupied territories, Ukraine's position remains unchanged: the country's borders cannot be changed. However, I believe that we must be sober in our judgments. De jure, Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk remain part of Ukraine, but we do not de facto control them, the Russian administration works there.'
He said efforts were being made to find 'a legal formula' but did not say what this would entail.
Podolyak also hinted at increased signs of readiness to compromise by Russia, which calls its military actions a 'special operation' that is not designed to occupy territory but to demilitarise and 'denazify' Ukraine.
'I can say that the Russian delegation has softened sharply recently. Now they judge the world more objectively and behave very correctly. There is no rudeness or rudeness inherent in the Russian government. Of course, their world view is distorted by their own propaganda,' Podolyak said.
INVOKES BERLIN WALL
Zelensky also called on Germany in an emotional video address before parliament Thursday to help destroy a new 'Wall' Russia was erecting in Europe.
'It's not a Berlin Wall -- it is a Wall in central Europe between freedom and bondage and this Wall is growing bigger with every bomb' dropped on Ukraine, Zelensky told MPs.
Appearing on a screen in his now trademark khaki T-shirt with dark rings under his eyes, Zelensky was welcomed by MPs in the Bundestag lower house with a standing ovation.
In a speech steeped in historical imagery from Germany's triumph over its Cold War division, Zelensky addressed Chancellor Olaf Scholz directly with a call for greater solidarity with Ukraine.
'Dear Mr Scholz, tear down this Wall,' he implored, evoking US President Ronald Reagan's 1987 appeal to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.
'Give Germany the leadership role that you in Germany deserve.'
ECONOMY, ECONOMY, ECONOMY
Zelensky however coupled his flattery with a strong rebuke of Berlin's years-long reluctance to stand up to Moscow and sever its strong energy and business ties with Russia.
'We turned to you,' he said. 'We told you that Nord Stream (gas pipelines) was a kind of preparation for the war.
'And the answer we got was purely economic -- it is economy, economy, economy but that was the mortar for the new Wall.'
The Russian assault on Ukraine on February 24 prompted an overhaul of key planks of Germany's energy, economic and security policy -- some of them dating back to the end of World War II.
It has put the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project on ice, joined allies in imposing punishing sanctions on Russia and pledged a massive increase in defence spending while dropping a ban on arms exports to conflict zones in order to aid Ukraine.
Germany has also said it aims to be nearly free of Russian oil imports by the end of this year although it still remains heavily dependent on Russian gas.
However Berlin has resisted an outright halt to Russian energy imports, warning it would cause winter shortages and drive inflation, creating potential instability in Europe's top economy.
Zelensky stressed that the future of the continent was at stake in the current war and argued that governments across the West were failing to meet the moment.
'Every year politicians repeat 'never again',' the Ukrainian leader said, referring to annual Holocaust commemorations.
'And now, we see that these words simply mean nothing. A people is being destroyed in Europe,' he said, noting that 108 children had been killed in his country since the start of the Russian offensive.
'Help us stop this war.'
Despite his blunt criticism, MPs gave Zelensky another standing ovation after his 15-minute address. -- AFP/Reuters
The comments by political adviser Oleksiy Arestovych appeared designed to douse any talk of President Volodymyr Zelensky allowing border changes to secure a deal with Russia to end its attack of its neighbour.
Russia annexed the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and Russia has recognised declarations of independence by the self-proclaimed republics of Luhansk and Donetsk in the Donbass area of eastern Ukraine which rose up against Kyiv's rule.
Those two regions and Crimea were part of Ukraine when it declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and continue to be recognised by the United Nations as part of Ukraine.
Zelensky has said repeatedly that he will not compromise on his country's 'territorial integrity.'
'His main position has not changed,' Arestovych said on national television. 'We will never give up our national interests.'
Another presidential adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, outlined Ukraine's position in an interview with Polish media.
'One of the key issues (for a peace agreement) remains how to resolve territorial issues in the occupied Crimea and Donbass,' Podolyak said in a copy of the interview released by the Ukrainian presidency.
'Regarding the occupied territories, Ukraine's position remains unchanged: the country's borders cannot be changed. However, I believe that we must be sober in our judgments. De jure, Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk remain part of Ukraine, but we do not de facto control them, the Russian administration works there.'
He said efforts were being made to find 'a legal formula' but did not say what this would entail.
Podolyak also hinted at increased signs of readiness to compromise by Russia, which calls its military actions a 'special operation' that is not designed to occupy territory but to demilitarise and 'denazify' Ukraine.
'I can say that the Russian delegation has softened sharply recently. Now they judge the world more objectively and behave very correctly. There is no rudeness or rudeness inherent in the Russian government. Of course, their world view is distorted by their own propaganda,' Podolyak said.
INVOKES BERLIN WALL
Zelensky also called on Germany in an emotional video address before parliament Thursday to help destroy a new 'Wall' Russia was erecting in Europe.
'It's not a Berlin Wall -- it is a Wall in central Europe between freedom and bondage and this Wall is growing bigger with every bomb' dropped on Ukraine, Zelensky told MPs.
Appearing on a screen in his now trademark khaki T-shirt with dark rings under his eyes, Zelensky was welcomed by MPs in the Bundestag lower house with a standing ovation.
In a speech steeped in historical imagery from Germany's triumph over its Cold War division, Zelensky addressed Chancellor Olaf Scholz directly with a call for greater solidarity with Ukraine.
'Dear Mr Scholz, tear down this Wall,' he implored, evoking US President Ronald Reagan's 1987 appeal to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.
'Give Germany the leadership role that you in Germany deserve.'
ECONOMY, ECONOMY, ECONOMY
Zelensky however coupled his flattery with a strong rebuke of Berlin's years-long reluctance to stand up to Moscow and sever its strong energy and business ties with Russia.
'We turned to you,' he said. 'We told you that Nord Stream (gas pipelines) was a kind of preparation for the war.
'And the answer we got was purely economic -- it is economy, economy, economy but that was the mortar for the new Wall.'
The Russian assault on Ukraine on February 24 prompted an overhaul of key planks of Germany's energy, economic and security policy -- some of them dating back to the end of World War II.
It has put the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project on ice, joined allies in imposing punishing sanctions on Russia and pledged a massive increase in defence spending while dropping a ban on arms exports to conflict zones in order to aid Ukraine.
Germany has also said it aims to be nearly free of Russian oil imports by the end of this year although it still remains heavily dependent on Russian gas.
However Berlin has resisted an outright halt to Russian energy imports, warning it would cause winter shortages and drive inflation, creating potential instability in Europe's top economy.
Zelensky stressed that the future of the continent was at stake in the current war and argued that governments across the West were failing to meet the moment.
'Every year politicians repeat 'never again',' the Ukrainian leader said, referring to annual Holocaust commemorations.
'And now, we see that these words simply mean nothing. A people is being destroyed in Europe,' he said, noting that 108 children had been killed in his country since the start of the Russian offensive.
'Help us stop this war.'
Despite his blunt criticism, MPs gave Zelensky another standing ovation after his 15-minute address. -- AFP/Reuters