KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has defended Ukraine’s ongoing military operations in Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod regions, calling them a necessary act of preemptive defence rather than aggression. The President underlined that Ukraine did not choose to bring hostilities beyond its borders, but rather was forced to act in order to secure its own.
Speaking following a comprehensive frontline report from Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, Zelenskyy made it clear that the cross-border fighting is part of a wider effort to protect Ukrainian territory from further incursions. The President emphasised that the true origins and motives of the war lie not in Kyiv but in Moscow, firmly placing the responsibility on the Kremlin.
“I want to recognise our soldiers. This is very important at this time,” Zelenskyy stated. “Chief Commander Syrskyi briefed us on the situation across all directions of the front. We are facing more than a hundred combat engagements daily, with particularly fierce fighting in the Pokrovsky area and elsewhere in the Donetsk region.”
He continued, “We maintain active operations in Kursk and Belgorod as a form of preemptive defence. These battles are not our decision; they are our shield against the occupier. All the answers about this war, why it began and why it continues, are in Moscow. How it ends depends on the world.”
In a further sign of Kyiv’s readiness to explore diplomatic channels, Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine is open to negotiations and unafraid of high-level discussions. He confirmed that meetings are scheduled for the following day in Turkey, where the future of talks may hinge on who appears from the Russian side.
“I am waiting to see who comes from Russia. Only then will we determine our next steps,” he added.
This latest development comes as Ukraine continues to face intense pressure in the Donetsk region, where daily confrontations test the resilience of its armed forces.
