MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Zelenski tells Biden formula for peace needed without compromising sovereignty

Biden praised Zelenski for speaking of peace, unlike Russia's Putin

Presidents Joseph Biden and Volodymyr Zelenski Wednesday discussed at the White House concrete steps to achieve peace with Russia without compromising Ukraine's sovereignty.

“As president, peace must not compromise the sovereignty, freedom, and territorial integrity of my country,” Zelenski told reporters in a post-meeting joint conference. He admitted sanctions against Russia had also been discussed but insisted on the importance of finding “a formula for peace.”

“We have put forward very specific steps so that the United States can help us implement it. We proposed a formula for a peace summit,” he explained while insisting on holding Moscow accountable for the invasion. “There cannot be only peace after this war that was imposed on us,” Zelenski said after recalling that many parents have lost their children on the front lines.

Biden considered that the only way for there to be a peace negotiation is for the Ukrainians to defeat the Russians, for which he promised that the United States will continue to arm the Kyiv Army, and praised Zelenski for being “open to seeking peace,” unlike Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has no such intention.

The US leader ruled out a Russian withdrawal any time soon, so the United States and its allies “will continue to help Ukraine win on the battlefield.”

“When President Zelenski is willing to talk to the Russians, he will also succeed because then he will have won on the battlefield,” Biden insisted after ordering the shipment of Patriot anti-aircraft defense systems to Ukraine.

Zelenski also appeared before a highly unusual joint meeting of the US Congress. “We have artillery, yes – thank you.”

“Is it enough? Honestly, not really,” he added. “To make sure the Russians completely pull out, more shells and cannons are needed,” he went on while calling for additional sanctions against Russia. Zelenski also claimed that Kyiv had already “defeated Russia in the battle for minds of the world” and the rest of the West had achieved a “victory” over the Russian Federation.