Zelenskyy vows no compromise with Putin over war

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday vowed there would be no compromise with Russian President Vladimir Putin when it comes to terms of ending the war that started in February 2022.

“The time for compromise is over. It was over when Putin chose murder instead of treaties. The Russian government is leaving behind dozens of cemeteries. We will end this war on our terms,” said in his speech during a special session of the German parliament.

“It is in our common interest that Putin loses in the end,” he said, reiterating Kyiv's interest in becoming a full member of the European Union.

Ukraine applied for the EU membership in February 2022 and was granted candidate status in June the same. In December last year, the EU leaders gave the green light to open membership negotiations.

The Ukrainian president’s address was boycotted by several lawmakers of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and the new populist party, Buendnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW).

Zelenskyy is attending the two-day Ukraine Recovery Conference in Germany where leaders and top diplomats from over 60 countries are focusing on mobilizing international support for the war-torn nation's economic stabilization, recovery, and reforms for EU accession.