Ukraine cannot return the territories - a sharp statement from Zaluzhny!

Former Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Army Valery Zaluzhny has categorically stated that it is unrealistic to dream of fully restoring the state borders of 1991 with the country's current military and economic potential. He made this statement in a recent speech at the "Security Export: Ukrainian Arms in the World" forum.

According to Zaluzhny, who currently serves as Ukraine's ambassador to the UK, Russia has sufficient forces and means to expand its military capabilities and continue the war for a long time. He noted that Russia also has the ability to use resources to strike at territories and carry out strategic attacks.

"I don't think there are any participants here who are expecting a miracle. Expecting some powerful force to appear and return the borders of 1991 or 2022 is nothing more than a fantasy. Because it's too early to talk about returning the entire territory, since the enemy has the ability to strike at our territory and carry out separate attacks," said Valery Zaluzhny.

As a former commander-in-chief, he specifically noted that Russia has chosen the "attrition" method in this war. According to him, Moscow has chosen a long-term strategy by slowing down military operations and exhausting Ukraine's resources since the end of 2023. According to Zaluzhny, the most optimal solution for Ukraine in these conditions is to wage a defensive war based solely on high technologies.

The former commander-in-chief of Ukraine also did not ignore the demographic and economic conditions in the country. He specifically emphasized Ukraine's lack of human resources and the difficult economic situation:

"We can only wage a war at a technologically advanced level. In this regard, we need to achieve maximum results using minimal human resources and economic means. In the current demographic and economic situation, Ukraine is not ready for any other type of military action, and it is useless to dream about it."

This statement by Zaluzhny is consistent with the words of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in November 2023. At that time, Zelensky recognized that Ukraine does not yet have sufficient strength to return the 1991 borders and spoke about the possibility of returning Crimea through diplomatic means.

This statement by the former commander-in-chief is causing a lot of discussion in Ukraine and the international community. According to experts, such a realistic approach will be important in shaping more effective political strategies for the country's future.

The Zamin.uz editorial team is closely following all developments on this topic. What do you think about the statement of the former commander-in-chief of Ukraine? Is the return of the territories realistic or is diplomacy the only way out?