Zelensky Opposes Annexation of Parts of Ukraine to Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that his country opposes the annexation of occupied territories by Russia and urged his American counterpart to support Ukraine and 'justice' in the ongoing war with Russia. In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, February 9, Zelensky claimed that Ukraine needs broader security guarantees and asserted that the Russian president fears no one in Europe, calling for U.S. support. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly promised to quickly end the war between Russia and Ukraine without detailing how, although his advisors suggest that reaching an agreement may take months. Trump, unlike the previous U.S. administration, has expressed readiness to discuss ending the war with Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, Putin stated that there is a possibility for peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine but labeled Zelensky's presidency as 'illegitimate' due to the lack of presidential elections and rejected direct dialogue with him. Putin claimed that if Western aid to Kyiv were cut off, the war could end within two months. In response, Zelensky accused Putin of 'fearing negotiation' and resorting to 'dirty tricks' to prolong the war. He emphasized that Ukraine cannot accept the occupation and annexation of parts of its territory. Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election has raised hopes for a diplomatic solution to the three-year military conflict between Moscow and Kyiv, but it has also heightened Ukraine's concerns about the potential 'heavy price for a quick peace.' Since the beginning of the Russian military invasion of Ukraine, the Biden administration has committed over $175 billion in aid, including more than $60 billion in security assistance to Kyiv. With Trump's return to the White House, it is unclear if this aid will continue at the previous pace. In another development, the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine was dismissed for 'neglecting to procure sufficient weapons.' Defense Minister Rustem Umerov indicated that one of the main tasks of the Ministry of Defense is to provide military equipment, which has not occurred in the past six months, instead witnessing political games and leaks of information and contract contents. Umerov also announced the dismissal of Marina Bezrukova, head of the Ministry of Defense's supply agency. Meanwhile, Zelensky revealed plans to modernize Ukraine's armed forces during a weekly meeting with military chiefs, stating that there are no other options. In recent months, Russian pressure on the front lines has significantly increased, with over 3,600 square kilometers of Ukrainian land occupied in just 2024. Concurrently, there are increasing reports of desertion and fleeing among Ukrainian soldiers, many of whom express a patriotic duty to fight but complain about the indefinite extension of their service and the lack of a prospect for returning home. Axios reported the transfer of some Patriot air defense equipment to Poland for delivery to Ukraine. According to Axios, the U.S. has moved about 90 Patriot missile batteries, previously stationed in Israel, to Poland for this purpose. This transfer is part of the Pentagon's efforts to bolster Ukraine's air defense capabilities against Russian attacks on critical infrastructure. Israel has long retired the use of American Patriot air defense systems, relying instead on its advanced defense technologies such as the Iron Dome and David's Sling, which have reportedly shown high effectiveness against attacks from Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, and the Houthis in the past 15 and a half months. Ukraine, which has been under military attack from Russia for about three years and has lost a significant portion of four provinces, has long requested that Israel provide weapons like the Patriot systems that it no longer uses. Israel has been concerned that any arms transfer to Ukraine could be retaliated against by Russia through advanced weapons to Iran. An Israeli official told Axios that Israel has informed Russia that, from its perspective, the Patriots have been returned to the U.S. The Israeli Prime Minister's office stated that it is unaware of the shipment of Patriot equipment to Ukraine after their departure from Israel.