According to a Russian lawmaker, Zelenskyy wishes to buy time by seeking assistance from NATO

*Paromita Das

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who recently stated his alleged willingness to discuss the Crimean issue and Ukraine’s refusal to join NATO with Russia, actually wants to buy time by turning to NATO for military assistance, according to Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the Russian parliament’s lower house, on Sunday.
Volodin recalled Zelenskyy saying the same thing before the talks in Turkey, when Russian forces were on their way to Kyiv. According to the Russian lawmaker, Moscow reduced its activity in the region and withdrew its troops, following which a staged provocation in Bucha occurred and Kyiv refused to honour its obligations.

“The same scenario is being proposed today. The reason is self-evident. He wants to buy time while also requesting military assistance from NATO “Volodin stated this on Telegram.
According to Volodin, Ukrainian forces have already lost 23,367 people. In addition, 1,464 Ukrainian soldiers surrendered during Mariupol’s liberation on Saturday.

Volodin also stated that if Zelenskyy truly cares about Ukrainian citizens, he must withdraw Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics, recognize Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, and commit to not joining NATO.

Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24 after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk requested assistance in defending themselves against Ukrainian forces. Russia stated that the operation’s goal is to “demilitarise and denazify Ukraine.”