NSDC Secretary hopes firm stance of Peace Summit participants could force Russia to retreat

That’s according to Oleksandr Lytvynenko, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, who spoke in an interview with CNN Türk following his visit to Türkiye.

"I believe the end of the war will come through negotiations, and an important step in this regard will be taken in Switzerland on June 15 as the Global Peace Summit will be held... We hope that the majority of the nations around the world will express a tough position toward Russia, confronting it, and that this process will force Russia to retreat and get back onto the side of truth and law, and negotiations in which Russia will participate are foreseen for the later," Lytvynenko said.

The top security official expressed expectations toward "concrete steps" following the summit in Switzerland, including in the field of food security.

"Putin wants Ukraine’s capitulation. But Ukraine will not surrender. We want justice, we want sustainable peace. We want peace that would last for years and allow Ukraine to develop, again," Lytvynenko emphasized.

According to the official, restoring territorial integrity implies, among other things, deoccupation of Crimea by Russia.

"Crimea is of critical importance for Russians. For them, it serves as a bridge to the Balkans, North Africa, and the Middle East, and Russia also uses it as an arms depot against the world... Therefore, the return of Crimea to Ukraine and its liberation from occupation will make a very important contribution not only to Ukraine’s security, but also to that of the whole world," Lytvynenko is convinced.

He thanked Türkiye and other nations for their support in Ukraine's fight against Russia’s aggression.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the NSDC delegation agreed with their Turkish counterparts on deepening bilateral cooperation.

Photo: NSDC