President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda.
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Polish President Andrzej Duda on Tuesday described Ukraine's refusal to cede territory to Russia in upcoming peace talks as “completely understandable.”
Speaking to CNBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Duda reiterated his support for his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky after peace formula talks in which Russia was not a party faltered.
“It is not surprising that the Ukrainian authorities will not talk to them [Russian President] “Vladimir Putin today because they were clear from the beginning,” Duda told CNBC's Steve Sedgwick.
“For me, as president of Poland, it is completely understandable. It is clear,” he said.
A meeting of national security advisers on Sunday made little progress in resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict after Zelenskyy's chief of staff Andriy Yermak reiterated Kiev's firm commitment to the 10-point peace formula.
included in it the conditions Namely, the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity, including the territories seized during Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, as well as the withdrawal of all Russian forces from Ukraine.
Duda, one of Ukraine's strongest allies and border neighbour, praised Kiev's steadfast position since the beginning of the war, and said that the conflict would not end until Moscow's complete withdrawal. For its part, Russia objected to such demands.
“They attacked an independent, sovereign state, so I am not surprised that President Volodymyr Zelensky and those working with him are clear about the end of the war,” Duda said.
He added: “The war will end when we expel the Russians from all occupied Ukrainian territories. This is clear to me.”
Duda's comments were reflected in Latvian President Edgars Rinkević, who said he believed the West needed to change its position on its support for Ukraine.
Rinkevich said Ukraine's allies must shift from supporting Kiev against the Russian attack “for as long as necessary” to a strategy of supporting the Eastern European country “to achieve its victory.”
“All those voices that are saying that we should probably have some kind of political process or talks or discussions are somehow not hearing what Mr. Putin is saying,” Rinkevich told CNBC on Tuesday.
He continued: “Mr. Putin says he is ready to fight this war until the end.” “I read that he is already questioning the Ukrainian state. And if he is questioning the Ukrainian state, the big question is: What is the next step?”
Rinkiewicz said he expects “common sense to prevail” regardless of political processes, not only in the United States, but also across Europe, citing the upcoming European Parliament elections.
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