Russo-Ukrainian War: Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that if Russia held a referendum in the occupied regions of his country on joining Russia, there would be no talks with Ukraine or its allies. international in this country.
Russian forces and their separatist allies now hold large swaths of territory in the Donbas region, eastern Ukraine and southern regions after carrying out what the Kremlin calls a “military operation.” speciality” to the territory of a neighboring country. Officials in both regions have raised the possibility of holding referendums.
In his nightly video speech, Zelensky said Kyiv is standing firm on not giving up territory to Russia.
“The position of our country remains the same as before. We will not give up what is ours,” Zelensky said.
“If the occupiers proceed down the path of a fake referendum, they will close themselves any chance of negotiations with Ukraine and the free world, which the Russian side will obviously need at some point. .”
Russian and Ukrainian officials held several talks shortly after Russian forces launched their invasion of Ukraine in February.
But little progress has been made and no meetings have been held since late March, with each side blaming the other for the break in communication.
Russian forces hold much of the Kherson region in southern Ukraine, and officials in charge have suggested a referendum on joining Russia could be held within the next few weeks or months.
In the Donbas, Russian proxies seized much of the territory in 2014, held referendums on independence and declared a “people’s republic” in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. The Kremlin recognized the republic on the eve of the February invasion.
The governor of the Luhansk region – which has been almost entirely under Russian control for several weeks – has suggested over the weekend that Russia is preparing for a new referendum in the newly captured areas and is providing give people the right to participate.
