The head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, Andriy Yermak, notes a “change of tone” by Moscow and calls on the international community to “build a new security system”, including a “911 for Ukraine”.
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In kyiv, the Ukrainian power wonders about the contradictory signals sent by Russia in recent days. If it seems impossible, at this stage of the conflict, to assume the intentions of the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, the essential for Andriy Yermak is simple: “If the Russians had decided to leave Ukraine, we would see it.” Tel is not the case, and the war continues.
The head of the Ukrainian presidential administration sighs. For him, “the change of Russian strategy is real”, with a double military priority now granted to the “blockade of Ukraine in the South” and “the attack of the Ukrainian forces in the Donbass, in the East”, But, despite “changes in positions” of the Russian forces around kyiv, the city continues to live under the threat of bombing. There is no indication that Moscow has permanently gave up conquering the capital and the main cities of Ukraine.
If it denounces the “unbearable” aspects of the conflict, including “the photos of children killed” received daily by the presidential firm, “the destruction of maroupol” and “the forced transfer of civilians to Russia”, Mr. Yermak shares optimism that won kyiv over the first thirty-six days of war and the fierce resistance of Ukrainian forces. In an interview granted on Thursday, March 31, to the correspondents of three French newspapers ([Name]), German (Bild) and American (The New Yorker), the head of the presidential administration declares to be “sure of the victory”, at term, from Ukraine.
“No compromise” on the territories
Andriy Yermak, who pilots, with President Volodymyr Zelensky, the discussions with Russia and with the foreign powers, recalls that, for kyiv, he can not, at the end of this war, “no compromise” On three points: “independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Ukraine. It notes a “change of tone” from Moscow in bilateral meetings: “At first, it was only ultimatums and unacceptable proposals; today, it is a dialogue, even if it is very difficult.”
The head of the presidential administration claims that Mr. Zelensky wants both “to stop this war” and “recover the Ukrainian territories” conquered by Russia. Asked about the fact that he thinks of the occupied territories since the triggering of the war in 2014 – the annexed Crimea and the occupied donbass – or only to those conquered since February 24, he reaffirms that, if kyiv seeks to “save lives “And” saving cities “, the current president” will never give Russia a centimeter of Ukrainian territory “and” will not accept any solution contrary to the interests of Ukraine “. He also notes with satisfaction that “Crimea and Donbass are back at the negotiating table, which was not really the case in recent years”.
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