Zelensky: Ukraine will not recognize the occupied territories as belonging to Russia

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky reiterated that Kyiv will never recognize the territories occupied by Russia. According to him, this issue will remain a "fundamental red line" for Ukraine. He stated this at a briefing held after the US-Ukrainian negotiations in Jeddah on March 12.

"We will never recognize"

Zelensky emphasized that the Ukrainian people have made great sacrifices to defend the country's sovereignty:

"We do not recognize any territory occupied by Russia as theirs. This is the truth. Our people fought for this, our heroes sacrificed their lives. Many people were wounded, and many suffered. Therefore, no one will forget this. When I say 'no one forgets,' I mean that this is a fundamental red line for us," said the Ukrainian leader.

US–Ukraine negotiations and 30-day ceasefire

After the negotiations held in Saudi Arabia, the US restored military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. Additionally, Kyiv agreed to the 30-day ceasefire plan proposed by Washington. During this period, the parties are expected to negotiate a complete end to the war.

The proposal put forward in Jeddah was positively received by the leading countries of the world. However, everyone is still waiting for Moscow's official response.

The Kremlin is not rushing to respond to the negotiations

Russian President's press secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that the Kremlin needs to "study the details" of this proposal. Moscow emphasized that it is analyzing the terms of the negotiations before announcing its official position.

Threat of sanctions

One of the US senators stated that Russia must agree to a temporary ceasefire and sit at the negotiating table. Otherwise, the United States announced that it would impose additional sanctions against Moscow.

The Ukrainian government completely rejects the recognition of the occupied territories as part of Russia. Kyiv agreed to the 30-day ceasefire proposal offered by the US, but Russia has not yet responded. The Kremlin emphasizes that it is studying the terms of the negotiations, while the US has stated that it is expecting a prompt decision from Moscow. If Russia does not join the negotiations, new sanctions may be imposed.