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Kuleba: We are determined to push Russian forces out of our land

Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister

29 July 2022 12:36 (UTC +04:00)

"Military assistance to Ukraine is not charity. It is a necessary investment in Europe’s long-term security," said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in his article for "New York Times" titled "Putin Must Be Stopped", APA reports.

"The Ukrainian Army will emerge out of this conflict — Europe’s largest land war since 1945 — as one of the continent’s most capable military forces. After repelling Russia’s invasion, the Ukrainian military will devote itself to safeguarding the security and stability of Europe, protecting democracy from any authoritarian encroachment.

For all the skepticism about sanctions, the fact is that they work. Russia’s persistent attempts to lift them, such as proposals to relinquish its naval blockade of Ukrainian ports in exchange for the removal of sanctions, are the best testimony of their effectiveness.

In his efforts to hurt the well-being of Europeans and North Americans, Mr. Putin is weaponizing energy and food, deliberately driving up global prices. Strengthening sanctions, which limit Russia’s ability to continue with the war, is the best way to bring such behavior to an end.

With global support, Ukraine has already stabilized the front line and is preparing to regain control over territories currently occupied by Russia, first and foremost in the strategically important south. It’s true that we lost some ground in the Luhansk region, because of Russia’s overwhelming advantage in artillery. But we are now slowly but steadily closing the gap, thanks to heavy weaponry supplied by the United States and others.

In recent weeks, Russia has failed to make any significant gains. We are determined to turn the tide in our favor and push Russian forces out of our land.

In that spirit, we in Ukraine call on our partners to increase their support and reject Russia’s fake peace proposals. Nor should they pay any attention to the narrative, amplified by Russian propaganda, of so-called war fatigue. Every war is tiresome, but we need to endure. The price of losing — a crushed Ukraine, a shattered West and a resurgent Russia — is too high to countenance anything else," reads the article.