Zelensky: Ukraine lacks the military strength to reclaim Crimea through force.

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, who identified the condition under which Ukraine would lose the war against Russia, emphasized that Ukraine does not recognize the occupied territories as Russian. The country is prepared to reclaim them through diplomatic means. He made these statements amid the announcement by the Pentagon of a new military aid package for Ukraine amounting to $275 million.

In response to a question from Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst about the possibility of concessions in a peace agreement, Zelensky was adamant:

"We cannot legally recognize any occupied territory of Ukraine as Russian. This applies to territories seized in 2014. We do not recognize or accept this. On the other hand, we understand that we currently do not have the strength to push Putin back to the 1991 line with arms," he noted.

When discussing the annexed Crimea, Zelensky stressed that returning this territory remains a fundamental goal:

"We are ready to return Crimea through diplomatic means. We cannot afford to lose tens of thousands of our people for this goal, but we understand that Crimea can be returned without bloodshed."

Zelensky also mentioned that Ukraine will continue to fight even without U.S. support. However, he acknowledged that without American assistance, the chances of victory will significantly decrease.

Yingst inquired whether newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump could influence the end of the war. Zelensky expressed cautious optimism, noting that the U.S. has stronger positions than Russia, and their economic and military influence could change the course of the conflict.

"It won’t be easy, but I believe that if all the opportunities that the United States has are utilized, yes, he can. Because he is much stronger than Putin. He is stronger. The United States is stronger. The economy is stronger. The United States has a very significant financial influence," Zelensky replied.

The president also commented on the possibility of a reduction in U.S. financial aid to Ukraine. In his opinion, this would change the quality of the struggle, but not the fight itself:

"If the U.S. cuts aid, I think we will lose. Of course, we will still remain and fight. We have production, but it is not enough to prevail. And I think it is insufficient for survival. But the struggle will continue. If the Americans make such a choice, then we will decide what to do," Zelensky stated.

American Aid to Ukraine

The administration of current U.S. President Joe Biden had previously announced that it decided to accelerate the transfer of the remaining allocated security assistance to Ukraine. It involves $6 billion that will be directed towards the purchase of weapons. This is because after the inauguration, Donald Trump may block arms supplies.

Recently, it was stated in the U.S. that America is ready to provide another military aid package to Ukraine. This will include air defense systems and armored vehicles intended to protect Ukrainians. A complete list of the armaments will be announced in the coming days.