Zelensky on the War: Ukraine is Ready for Negotiations, Russia is Just Investing in War.

According to FREEДOM:

Statement of the President

Two weeks ago, a thought emerged in Washington that Russia should be ready for serious negotiations at the highest level. Ukraine is definitely ready for this, but Russia continues to invest in the war. President Volodymyr Zelensky made this statement on August 31 during his address dedicated to the 1285th day of Russia's full-scale invasion.

The Situation on the Front

Zelensky began his traditional address with a report on the events at the front, particularly regarding the defense of Donetsk region.

'First of all, about the Donetsk direction — Pokrovsk, other important areas. We are defending our positions, and it is fundamentally important that this is our active defense — we are destroying the occupier daily,' said the head of state.

He expressed gratitude to the Ukrainian military for their resilience and accuracy and emphasized the importance of providing the army with the necessary resources.

Diplomatic Efforts

'There will be meetings, our contacts with partners. We plan a very active diplomatic week,' the President added.

He also confirmed Ukraine's readiness for a meeting at the leadership level, while noting that Russia continues to show a desire to continue the war.

'Now, during his visit to China, Putin will again try to twist things. This is his number one sport. Everyone in the world has stated that the fire must be stopped. Everyone insisted that the war must end... The only one who wants war is Russia. Therefore, we will continue to pressure, specifically on Russia,' emphasized Zelensky.

Partners' Position

The President also noted that Ukraine is counting on support from the USA, Europe, and the 'C20' countries.

'This war only adds destabilization to global processes. Russia must pay for this. And it will happen,' he is confident.

PURL Program

Zelensky thanked the partners who joined the PURL program for purchasing necessary weapons for the Ukrainian forces. In August, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Canada, Belgium, and Latvia joined the program. In total, the program has already exceeded 2 billion dollars.

'In August, we added the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Canada, Belgium, and Latvia to the program... Our goal is at least 1 billion dollars in the program monthly. And these are funds that go towards purchasing very effective weapons,' the President reported.

Investigation

In conclusion of his address, Zelensky reported on the progress of the investigation into the murder of Andriy Parubiy, emphasizing that all necessary services, including the police and SBU, are involved in the case.

Ukraine continues to actively work on ensuring its own defense capability and hopes for international support. The President's statements underline the seriousness of the situation and the relevance of diplomatic efforts for a peaceful resolution of the conflict. In the context of the ongoing conflict, it is important to maintain the world's attention on the situation in Ukraine and to pressure the aggressor.