On the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale military assault, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared Tuesday that his nation has successfully maintained its sovereignty and vowed not to abandon the sacrifices of its citizens in pursuit of lasting peace.
Speaking from Kyiv, Zelenskyy stated: “Putin has not achieved his goals. He has not broken the Ukrainian people. He has not won this war. We have preserved Ukraine, and we will do everything to achieve peace. And to ensure justice.”
The Ukrainian leader is scheduled to host high-ranking European officials, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, for commemorative events marking four years since Russia launched its invasion on February 24, 2022.
The conflict has become Europe’s most devastating war since World War II, claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands of military personnel from both nations. Russian attacks have resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians and caused widespread destruction across Ukrainian cities through continuous missile and drone bombardments.
Current diplomatic efforts led by the United States have reached an impasse due to disagreements over territorial control. Russian forces, which continue to make gradual advances, maintain their demand that Ukraine surrender the remaining 20% of the eastern Donetsk region, while Ukrainian leadership firmly rejects giving up territory that has cost thousands of lives to protect.
In his anniversary remarks, Zelenskyy emphasized: “We want peace. Strong, dignified, lasting peace.”
The president revealed his instructions to Ukraine’s diplomatic team, stating: “Do not nullify all these years, do not devalue all the struggle, courage, dignity, everything that Ukraine has gone through. We cannot, we must not, give it away, forget it, betray it.”
