"Russia can intensify its offensive in the Kharkiv region. Kiev will only accept a just peace despite Western calls for a quick solution."
This was stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with AFP.
Zelensky also repeated his calls for allies to send more air defense systems and fighter jets. He added that the "biggest advantage" for Russia was to prevent Ukraine from using weapons donated by the West to strike Russian territory.
With the mobilization law taking effect, Zelensky admitted there were personnel and "morale" problems in the Ukrainian ranks, which are often outnumbered and outgunned as the third year of the war progresses.
Although Russian troops have been gradually advancing in recent months, they have made major gains along the northeastern border in the offensive that began on May 10 in the Kharkiv region.
Zelensky said Ukraine would hold its defense lines and stop any major Russian breakthrough.
"No one will surrender," the Ukrainian president said.
"Senseless situation"
Zelensky rejected French President Emmanuel Macron's call for an Olympic truce during the Paris Games, saying it would give Moscow an "advantage" as it would give it time to move troops and artillery.
The Ukrainian leader said Kiev and its Western allies have "the same values" but often "different views", particularly on what an end to the conflict might look like.
"We are in a senseless situation in which the West is afraid that Russia will lose the war. It does not want Ukraine to lose it," Zelensky stressed.
The president called on China and the developing world to attend a peace summit of dozens of leaders, hosted by Switzerland next month. Russia is not invited to the meeting.
The Ukrainian leader said that global players like China "have influence over Russia. And the more such countries we have on our side, on the side of the end of the war, I would say, the more Russia will have to reckon with them."
"We want the war to end with a just peace for us. The West wants the war to end. Period. As soon as possible. And for them it's a just peace," added Zelensky.
"First wave" of the Russian offensive
Zelensky said the situation in Kharkiv Oblast, where thousands of people were forced to leave their homes, was "under control" but "not stabilized".
He said Russian troops had penetrated between 5 and 10 km along the northeastern border before being stopped by Ukrainian forces.
"Russia's offensive may consist of several waves. The first wave was in Kharkiv region," the Ukrainian president added.
Zelensky downplayed Russia's offensive successes so far, but added: "We have to be sober and understand that they are going deeper and deeper into our territory. Not the other way around. And that is still their advantage."
"They are like a beast"
Speaking about the offensive during his visit to China, Russian President Vladimir Putin said it was a response to shelling of border areas by Ukraine.
"I said publicly that if this continues, we will be forced to create a security zone," he said.
When asked if Russia plans to take over the city of Kharkiv, which has over one million inhabitants, "As for Kharkiv, there are no such plans to date," Putin replied.
Zelensky remained skeptical and said Russian forces "wanted to attack" the city, although they realized it would be "very difficult".
"They understand that we have forces that will fight for a long time," he says.
The Ukrainian president also said that Russia does not have enough forces for "a full-scale offensive on the capital like what they had at the beginning of the war."
Zelensky stressed that Ukraine and its Western allies must not show weakness and called for the deployment of two Patriot batteries to protect the skies over Kharkiv Oblast and demonstrate Ukraine's resilience.
"They are like a beast... If they feel a weakness somewhere in this direction, they will push," the head of state added.
The "biggest advantage" for Russia -
In the interview, Zelensky said that Ukraine has only "about 25% of what we need" to defend the country in terms of air defense.
He also said that "120-130" F-16 fighter jets or other advanced aircraft are needed "to have parity" with Russia.
The leader has been highly critical of restrictions on striking Russian territory with Western weapons, although Britain and the United States have hinted in recent days that those bans could be eased.
"They can fire at our territory with all kinds of weapons from their territory. This is the biggest advantage that Russia has. We cannot do anything to their systems that are on the territory of Russia with Western weapons," he said. .
During his visit to Kiev this week, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that "ultimately, Ukraine has to decide for itself how to fight this war"./BGNES
