President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with Agence France-Presse, Reuters, and the Associated Press, touched upon a number of pressing topics on the situation in Ukraine, including security issues.
The full text of the interview has been published by the President’s Office on June 16.
The Ukrainian leader was asked about the reasons behind this year’s escalation on the border with the Russian Federation. To this Volodymyr Zelensky said multiple reasons were involved, and that the probability of further escalation increased. “Because when you have a large number of troops along the borders or the contact line, any provocation can end in conflict,” he said.
Also, the president notes that Russia is in fact coercing the Ukrainian authorities to negotiate directly with “LPR/DPR” terrorist organizations.
“Going back to Russia, they say, ‘What are we here for? You talk to these comrades from ‘DPR/LPR’. Then the question comes: West-2021 (joint military exercises of Russia and Belarus – ed.), the exercises that you conduct – it is not ‘DPR/LPR’, not ORDLO (occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions – ed.), it’s you (Russia – ed.). Then tell me, why – according to the reports we receive – options of possible seizure of Kyiv, Odesa, Kharkiv are being worked out there? I just wonder how they can say one thing and do otherwise,” Volodymyr Zelenskyi was quoted as saying by his Office’s press service.
“Unfortunately, we must expect complications and be prepared for them every day. But I don’t think this will happen. Provocations are possible, in particular, in mid-September, when there will be West 2021. And yet I believe that the Russian Federation is not interested in a full-scale war,” added President Zelensky.
It shall be recalled that the joint military exercise West-2021 will be held September 10-16, 2021, in the territory of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation. According to the tentative plan of the drills, “one of the possible options for the escalation of the military-political situation in a conditional state” will be worked out.
