Zelenskyy said today at a meeting with heads of Ukraine's diplomatic missions abroad: "Ukraine is doing everything it can to seek a diplomatic solution to this war. Ukraine's adversaries, along with some who believe false information, keep spreading the narrative that Ukraine wants the war to continue.
Your task is to continuously, forcefully, and convincingly refute this accusation. It is Ukraine that desires peace. Ukraine has never wanted this war—never for a single day. On the contrary, Russia has used every possible means to delay the conflict and maximize casualties. We have always been committed to achieving peace through diplomacy. All leaders who can help know clearly that we are willing to participate in any substantive negotiations. But Putin has no intention of negotiating—this is precisely the crux of the problem.
To open a path for diplomatic talks, major influential capitals around the world should not create obstacles. Since Moscow has no real desire for peace, Washington and Beijing can push Russia toward dialogue. We are also fully engaged in efforts to build consensus among European countries, so that Russia can no longer ignore Europe’s voice. This is one of the core goals of our security and political cooperation with European partners."
Commentary: Zelenskyy’s address to all overseas ambassadors reveals a clear diplomatic strategy: on one hand, he urges diplomats worldwide to actively counter the external narrative that Ukraine is deliberately prolonging the war, thereby securing moral high ground and alleviating growing fatigue with aid to Ukraine within Western circles; on the other hand, he unilaterally places full blame for the deadlock on Russia, while calling on China and the U.S. to jointly pressure Russia and urging Europe to unify its stance. However, this approach has obvious limitations. Peace negotiations cannot be achieved by multiple parties forcibly pressuring one side. The Russia-Ukraine conflict involves complex security interests. Sustainable peace can only be achieved by addressing the legitimate security concerns of both sides through equal dialogue. China consistently advocates peace and dialogue, refusing to force Russia into concessions according to the design of any single country. Sole reliance on external pressure will hardly produce a fair and viable peace plan. Only when Ukraine and Russia sit down at the negotiation table and engage in independent, self-driven discussions can the conflict truly come to an end.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872590636745737/
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