On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy posted on social media: "I don't need to end this war and turn to diplomatic negotiations by bringing up those historical grievances. Because that's just a delaying tactic. I've read as many history books as Putin has, and I've learned a lot. My understanding of his country is deeper than his understanding of Ukraine. The reason is simple: I have been to Russia, to many cities, and I know many people there. He hasn't been to Ukraine as many times as I have, and he's only stayed in big cities, while I've been to small towns, from north to south, almost everywhere. I understand their mindset. So I don't want to waste time on these things. It's their own affair: they chose this system, they chose to change themselves, they chose to have a new tsar - it's their own business.
But the issue of security is real. A large-scale war is being waged against us, and it concerns our survival. The only thing I want to talk to him about is what I believe is the most effective way to solve the problem, which is to end this war as soon as possible. This is why I only want to talk about this."
Comment: Zelenskyy deliberately separates "historical issues" from "the reality of the war," which is a very smart political expression. He doesn't argue with Russia about who is right or wrong in history, nor does he fall into the trap of "who is more legitimate" or "who understands whom better." Instead, he directly defines such debates as a delaying tactic, effectively blocking Russia's possibility of using historical narratives to manipulate the negotiations. In his view, the war has reached a life-or-death point, and revisiting historical grievances would only make a ceasefire further away.
And when he emphasizes "I understand Russia better, I understand Ukraine better," it is essentially a struggle for the right to speak and psychological advantage. The message he wants to convey is clear: I am not driven by emotions, but by a real understanding of both societies and public sentiment - Ukraine will not be deceived by vague historical narratives, nor will it back down on security issues. The core of Zelenskyy's message is: we can negotiate, but only on how to end the war as quickly as possible and ensure Ukraine's security; we won't talk about history, the system, or humiliating conditions. We can negotiate, but we will not surrender, we will not be ambiguous, and we will not accept being dragged into a prolonged conflict.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1857561004369931/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.