Zelenskyy: Holding strong in 2024 means retaining our land and preventing a freeze in the war

Throughout the current year, Ukraine must hinder Russians from preparing for a new powerful counteroffensive and prevent the conflict from freezing, stated President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a press conference with Latvian leader Edgars Rinkēvičs in Riga.

A journalist reminded Zelenskyy of his video address on January 5, in which he stated that "enduring this year means enduring the entire war." The Ukrainian leader was asked to elaborate on his statement.

"To endure this year is not to surrender our territories. Don't let the conflict freeze – for anyone. Don't allow Russia to prepare for a powerful counteroffensive – in a year, in two, in three, in five. Don't let them do that. End the war before that, don't allow them to increase their production. Don't let the conflict freeze this year so that their military begins powerful preparation," said Zelenskyy.

He emphasized the need not to let Russia "become powerful again" because Russians are numerous and "they show no mercy to people; they simply discard them".

"That's their power – in the mass of people. We see their attitude – it's not a mass of people, it's a mass of 'meat'. I'm sorry for how it sounds, but that's a fact," said the president.

He stressed that if the conflict is frozen, sanctions will gradually weaken over time – country by country, business by business.

"So our plans are not to allow all of this, to consolidate the societies of other states so that our plans coincide with the goals and opportunities of our partners... And what plans and goals are on the battlefield – I simply don't have the right to tell you," added Zelenskyy.

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