President Zelensky: No country can stand alone against Russia
(Baonghean.vn)- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on the global community to cooperate against Russia, emphasizing that no country can survive alone in a war with Moscow.
In interviews with Central Asian media over the weekend, Mr Zelensky said the goal should be to ensure that Russian President Putin “thinks about his survival and security” and “the Russian people think about how they can avoid losing the independence of their country” without threatening them – simply by showing how united and strong the world is.
Such unity is necessary because “no one can survive a full-scale war with Russia on their own,” the Ukrainian leader said, as quoted by Kazakhstan’s online magazine Vlast. “We were alone” when Russia launched its military operation against Ukraine in February 2022, President Zelensky asserted. “But then we agreed with our partners on some sanctions, some weapons and other things,” Zelensky said, referring to Western support since the conflict began. Even Beijing “had to defend Ukraine because we were attacked,” because “China says territorial integrity must be respected,” the Ukrainian politician argued.
Beijing has maintained a policy of neutrality on the Ukraine conflict, while repeatedly calling for a political solution that respects the interests of all sides. The Chinese government blames the hostilities on NATO's eastward expansion, rejects Western calls to impose sanctions on Russia and chooses to increase trade with its neighbor.
President Zelensky was also asked if he was concerned about President Putin’s statement earlier this week that, in Moscow’s view, the Ukrainian leader’s legitimacy had “expired.” Zelensky’s five-year term ended on May 20 after he refused to hold new elections, citing martial law imposed during the conflict. “They don’t care about me at all,” Zelensky admitted.
Mr Putin became president for a fifth term in March, winning 87.28% of the vote amid a record turnout of over 77%.
Zelensky argued that anyone who could read the law could quickly confirm that his continued rule was legal. “Ukrainians know their Constitution, they know the law,” he added.
President Putin last month declared that the US and its allies’ efforts to isolate Russia had failed and pledged to “expand substantive, equal, mutually beneficial partnerships with friendly countries in Eurasia, Africa and Latin America.” According to President Putin, unlike European elites “who do not pursue policies that benefit their own people,” there are many citizens on the continent who support Russia’s stance./.
