Zelenskyy affirms Russia won't be among guarantors of Ukraine's security

Amid the brutal Russian attack on Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy affirmed that Moscow will not be among the guarantors of Ukraine's security. According to a report by Ukrayinska Pravda, President Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has been analysing a range of security guarantors from trusted fellow countries but added he does not see Russia as the potential country that could become guarantors of the country's security. "Today, we are considering a range of security guarantors from trusted partner countries. We are developing this project with them. We have developed it," he said during an interview with ICTV. 

"We want a separate agreement. Today, everything has reached the point where this agreement provides for a circle of partner states around Ukraine without Russia. Security guarantors without Russia. Bucha changed some things," he added. 

President Zelenskyy said that the bilateral talks with Moscow and the Russian President should take place separately from the agreement on security guarantees. When asked about the probability of ending the war, the Ukrainian President said that it would be based on diplomatic negotiations. Zelenskyy affirmed that he would consider the victory when Putin returns all the regions seized by Russian forces to Ukraine. He said it is necessary to negotiate with Putin as thousands of civilians were killed since the brutal war started in February this year. However, the Ukraine President made no mention about Russia's claim regarding the surrender of at least 1,908 Ukrainian fighters who had been fighting with Putin's forces at the Azovstal steelworks.

Fate of soldiers who surrender stuck in limbo

It is worth mentioning that the fate of those surrendered is still stuck in limbo despite the international call on Russia to release the Prisoner of Wars (PoW). The International Committee of the Red Cross gathered personal information from hundreds of the soldiers — name, date of birth, closest relative — and registered them as prisoners of war, as part of its role in ensuring the humane treatment of POWs under the Geneva Conventions. Amnesty International said in a tweet that the Ukrainian soldiers are now prisoners of war and as such “must not be subjected to any form of torture or ill-treatment.” 

Image: Facebook/@VolodymyrZelenskyy