“Ukraine may act at its own discretion:” Zelenskyi comments on violation of Budapest Memorandum

President Volodymyr Zelenskyi believes that if the signatories of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum don't comply with international security guarantees of the agreement, Ukraine may do as it sees fit for its own protection and security.

He stated it in an interview with four Ukrainian TV channels, Interfax-Ukraine reports.

The President noted that it's crucial to know the citizens' opinion on if it's expedient to raise this issue at the international level. But he won't disclose his strategy for further action.

"Because I am doing complex work. Today I am working to revive the state of Ukraine, as a complete, independent, defensible state. Therefore, it's not by chance that we have naval bases. It's not by chance that I sign strategic agreements that didn't exist before, unfortunately… I am signing agreements with the UK, Turkey. I want to sign with several other countries," he said.

Zelenskyi believes that Ukraine should be very strong in Europe.

"I believe that our fleet must be very strong. It's a part of the strategy. I'm certain that all signed memoranda and agreements must be fulfilled. And I'm sure that if they're not fulfilled, Ukraine should not constantly knock on doors and shout: "Why are they not fulfilled?" I think it's very simple: if they're not fulfilled, we may do as we want. It's the state's independence. That's my opinion," the president said.

According to Zelenskyi, otherwise Ukraine and Ukrainians "will not sit at the table of European or world countries," but will constantly ask: "give us more credit, give us a boat, give us more bulletproof vests, give us more masks because of COVID."

We'd like to note that Volodymyr Zelenskyi's interview was broadcast on Thursday, October 22.

In addition, today Zelenskyi began a working trip to the Donetsk region.