Zelensky calls on world to restore principle of respect for every nation

“In Russia, they openly say that they will not stop in Ukraine. They need the Baltic states, Poland and other European countries. That is why we must restore full respect for the fundamental values on our continent. We must fight absolutely clearly and at all levels for the principle: every nation matters. The interests of any nation cannot be ignored, betrayed or exchanged for something in a relationship with those who want to make that nation dependent on themselves,” Zelensky said in his address to the Parliament of Latvia, Ukrinform reports.

In his opinion, when this principle is truly respected by all, then European unity will work and then Russia will stand no chance either in the war against Ukraine or in the war against any other European country.

“Even in the very recent past, this disrespect for certain nations has led to terrible and insidious conspiracies and pacts that deprived statehood, destroyed borders and inflamed the appetite for war. Millions of people died because of it. The lives of generations have been poisoned. And it seemed that at least Europe and the Western world drew conclusions from their experience,” the President said.

At the same time, Zelensky stressed that despite the experience, statements were being made that Ukraine should give Russia what it wants.

“There are quite serious talks about drawing some dividing lines along the body of a sovereign state in order to allegedly ‘appease’ the aggressor. And allegedly concessions, concessions and concessions again are needed - of course, at the expense of the state, which was attacked, so that the aggressor allegedly mercifully stops,” the President stressed.

He noted that Ukraine was defending itself against the second largest army in the world for the fourth month already.

When Ukraine is told that we should not be given all the weapons we need to win, they actually mean that our nation is allegedly less important than other nations who have already been given or can use such weapons. When we are told that we have to give away part of our land because it is supposed to be a ‘necessary compromise’, it means that our people are considered less worthy of having their interests taken into account. Moreover, when they ask us to wait ‘a little longer’ in the European Union's reception room – years or decades – not agreeing to give us full membership, and some still doubt the candidate status for Ukraine, it only emphasizes that the principle of respect for every nation does not work,” Zelensky added.

As reported, former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said at the World Economic Forum in Davos that Ukraine should give up part of its territory to Russia and that the United States and the West should refrain from seeking a defeat for Russia.

An editorial was published in the New York Times, the authors of which admitted that Ukraine would be forced to give up territories to Russia to end the war.

In his video address, President Volodymyr Zelensky reminded those seeking to make Ukraine give up territories to Russia about failed attempts to appease the aggressor in 1938.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba stated in Davos that Ukraine would not make concessions to Putin, because the strategy of appeasing him from 2014 to the beginning of the full-scale invasion failed and had no chance of success in the future.

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