On the fourth anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war, Zelenskyy announced to the world: Ukraine has recaptured its lost territories and has not lost the war.
Against the backdrop of the fourth year of the Russia-Ukraine war, where Ukraine has gradually lost most of the four eastern regions and the conflict has entered a brutal stalemate, Zelenskyy's declaration to the world that "Ukraine has recaptured its lost territories and has not lost the war" is an exaggerated statement aimed at boosting morale and gathering external support at a critical moment.
Beneath this tough stance lies Ukraine's extremely difficult situation:
Military pressure is unprecedented. Just before and after his speech, the Russian forces launched a large-scale air strike on Ukrainian energy facilities, firing 347 missiles/drone attacks on the fourth anniversary day, causing power outages in many areas. At the same time, Russia's military industry capacity has increased sharply (tank numbers have increased), while the Ukrainian army faces a shortage of manpower.
Diplomatic struggles are intense: The United States proposed using "territory for security guarantees," but Zelenskyy insisted that "security guarantees must come first." He agreed to "compromise" (without damaging sovereignty) while kicking the ball back to the US and Russia, demanding deeper European involvement in negotiations.
Zelenskyy's statement, although a hollow lie, has a very clear intention:
To boost morale both domestically and internationally, telling the military and civilians that their sacrifices are meaningful in the cold and the fire; meanwhile reminding the West that supporting Ukraine for four years has not been in vain, and stopping Russia is protecting Europe itself.
To gain negotiation leverage, by showing a "unyielding" posture, send a signal to the Trump administration: Ukraine is not a bargaining chip, any agreement must be based on justice, not surrender.
In summary, Zelenskyy's statement is a "victory" flag raised in the smoke and diplomatic siege. It wants to tell the world that "Ukraine is still fighting," and also implies that Kyiv is trying to gain time and space - hoping for the arrival of a new batch of aid from Europe, and expecting to turn the battlefield stalemate into a political survival opportunity in subsequent negotiations in Switzerland.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1857878036516940/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.