President rejects ceasefire
Zelensky: Russia has a “major deficit” in several weapons
January 11, 2024, 2:09 p.m
Listen to article
This audio version was artificially generated. More info | Send feedback
Ukraine is significantly inferior to the Russian invaders when it comes to ammunition. At the same time, large-scale air strikes by Kremlin troops give the impression that Moscow can fire on all cylinders. President Zelensky still sees deficits – and strictly rejects a ceasefire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has strictly rejected the idea of a possible ceasefire in his country’s defense against Russia’s attack. Only Russia will benefit from a ceasefire, Zelenskyj said in Estonia after a meeting with his counterpart Alar Karis in Tallinn. It would neither lead to a final end to the war nor to a political dialogue with Russia.
Russia has a “large deficit” in drones, artillery and missiles and could then continue to arm itself. It is no coincidence that Moscow is stocking up on weapons from Iran and North Korea, said Zelensky. A ceasefire would also give Russia the chance to reposition itself and regroup.
“We see this deficit affecting their resilience on the battlefield.” Ukraine will not take the risk of giving Russia two to three years. “It can then overwhelm us, and we won’t risk that.”
The head of state of Ukraine also once again promoted his country’s NATO membership. This would not only be the best security guarantee for Ukraine, but also for the Baltic states and Poland that border Russia and partly Belarus.
Visit “more than gratitude”
The day before, Zelensky traveled to Lithuania for his first foreign visit in 2024. “This is more than just a visit of gratitude. It is a visit of trust – the common trust of the nations bordering Russia. We stand together and will not lose our unity.”
The Baltic states, all of which border either Russia or Belarus, fear an invasion by Kremlin troops and are therefore among Ukraine’s biggest supporters. However, due to their small size and population, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia’s options are limited.