President Zelensky Says If Bakhmut Falls, Vladimir Putin Will 'Sell' Victory To The West, China To Iran

President Volodymyr Zelensky. (Source: President.gov.ua)

JAKARTA - President Volodymyr Zelensky said victory in Bakhmut would give Russia the opportunity to build international support for a deal that could see Ukraine make unacceptable compromises.

"If Bakhmut falls to Russian troops, their president, Vladimir Putin, it will "sell this victory to the West, to its people, to China, to Iran," President Zelensky said in an interview with The Associated Press.

"If he smelled that we were weak, he would encourage, encourage, encourage," continued President Zelensky, who uses English.

Furthermore, President Zelensky realized that his success so far in facing the Russian invasion was largely due to a wave of international support, especially from the United States and Western Europe.

Interestingly, President Zelensky has not dismissed fears that the current war could be affected by the shift in political power in Washington, referring to the 2024 US elections.

"The United States really understands that if they stop helping us, we will not win," he said in the interview.

The train journey, which was carefully calibrated by the president, was an extraordinary journey across land through a warring country. He used the trip to build morale, bringing considerable influence to areas close to the front lines.

"We must not lose steps because war is a cake, pieces of victory. Small victories, small steps," he said.

President Zelensky's comments imply that defeats in the 7-month battle in Bakhmut would be more expensive political defeats than tactical defeats.

He estimates that the pressure from the defeat in Bakhmut will come quickly, both from the international community and within his own country.

So far, he said he did not feel the pressure. The international community has largely united around Ukraine following the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022. In recent months, a number of world leaders have visited President Zelensky in Ukraine.