Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called Russian President Vladimir Putin's referendum and agreements to formally recognize the annexation of eastern Ukraine regions as a 'stunt'.
According to Arab News, President Zelensky told Frankly Speaking host Katie Jensen in an exclusive interview via video link from the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, that the real strength is not in weapons, but in unity.
The Ukrainian president has said that I do not know what kind of referendum Putin is referring to, we do not have such a referendum in Ukraine.
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Zelensky has also denied Putin's recent claims of significant battlefield victories. He said that last week, Ukrainian forces have recaptured the eastern town of Limayn, one of the four regions occupied by Russia.
Zelensky said that what Russia declares is completely different from what it does. They say they will occupy our land, our nation, but I can tell you that in eight months of war, we have taken back the city of Limane, which was occupied by Russia a few days ago.
He said that we have no interest in Russian territories and I want to assure the people of Russia that we want to be limited to our borders based on international recognition in 1991.
The war in Ukraine has shaken the regional and global geopolitical and economic system, with rising oil and gas prices being the main cause.
In response to another question, the President of Ukraine said that more than six million Ukrainians have taken refuge in nearby countries, which has increased diplomatic pressure. There is also growing concern for global food security.
News of Putin's annexation of four regions of Ukraine has once again jolted world leaders as no clear end to the war is in sight.
The President said, "I think the greatest victory for any nation around the world is when its people are united and leave behind petty quarrels and differences."
One of our victories is that we are facing the second largest army in the world and are able to show that real strength is not in arms but in unity.
It is also our victory that we have been able to unite Europe and the whole world. We see this unity as everyone standing with us.
On the other hand, despite Zelensky's hopes, Moscow has vowed never to abandon its newly annexed territories and to defend them with all available resources.
It should be noted that Zelensky recently signed a petition to speed up the process of Ukraine's accession to NATO, but no immediate action has been indicated in view of the reaction from Washington.
