KIEV, Feb 22 (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky on Monday night accused Russia of thwarting peace efforts and stressed that Kiev would refuse to make any territorial concessions to Moscow.
During an address to the nation, Volodimir Zelensky accused Russia of violating the territorial sovereignty of Ukraine, while his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin decided on Monday to recognize the independence of the regions of Luhansk and Donetsk in the East Ukrainian.
He added that this could mean that Moscow has decided to break off the peace negotiations conducted in “Normandy format” with France and Germany, the sending of Russian troops to the Donbass announced by Vladimir Putin having exacerbated fears of a vast armed conflict.
Kiev wants to resolve the crisis through diplomacy but fears no one, said the Ukrainian president.
“We are on our own territory, we are not afraid of anything or anyone, we owe nothing to anyone, and we will not give anything to anyone,” said Volodimir Zelensky, calling for an emergency meeting in “Normandy format” and urging Ukraine’s allies take action against Russia. (Report Pavel Polityuk, Maria Tsvetkova, Matthias Williams; French version Jean Terzian)