Important for Putin to pursue aggression, so Ukraine must be strong to launch any talks – President’s Office

It is important for Vladimir Putin to continue aggression on Ukraine’s territory. Therefore, Ukraine must be strong to start negotiations to be able to talk to Russia on an equal footing.

This was stated by the chief of the Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, who spoke in an interview with Ukraine’s public broadcaster, Ukrinform reports.

"That is why we are talking to partners today about why it is so important to strengthen Ukraine. In general, we need to break Russian narratives that Ukraine wanted this war. Ukraine didn’t want it and neither did it provoke Russia in any way. The Russian Federation came here not to defend anyone, because it does not even defend its own territory (this refers to Russia’s Kursk region - ed.). It is important for Putin to continue aggression on our territory. Therefore, Ukraine must be strong to start negotiations, and then it will be able to talk to Russia on an equal footing. Because everything that is currently coming out of the Kremlin is the language of ultimatums,” Yermak said.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, to strengthen Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky presented a Victory Plan, which includes five points: geopolitical, two military ones, economic, and security-related.

The first point involves receiving an invitation to NATO. The second concerns defense, in particular, the transfer of a clear list of weapons capable of supporting the strength of Ukrainian Armed Forces. The third point entails the creation of deterrence forces. The fourth refers to strategic economic cooperation and increased sanctions pressure on the aggressor state. The fifth point is designed for the post-war period and entails the possibility of replacing individual military contingents of the U.S. Armed Forces deployed in Europe or on other continents with Ukrainian units.