"Whatever its officials may say, Russia remains focused on war and aims to ruin Ukraine and shatter the West," Kuleba said in a guest essay published by The New York Times newspaper on Friday.
He warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin "will not stop until he is stopped."
"That’s why calls for a cease-fire, audible across Europe and America, are badly misplaced," Kuleba wrote.
"This is not the time to accept unfavorable cease-fire proposals or peace deals," Kuleba said in his opinion piece.
"The task instead is to defeat Russia and limit its ability to attack anyone again in the foreseeable future," he argued.
"With sustained and timely assistance, Ukraine is ready and able to do so," he declared.
Kuleba said that "no country in the world craves peace more than Ukraine," but "a lasting, durable peace — rather than the time bomb of a frozen conflict — is possible only after Russia suffers a major battleground defeat," he argued.
"That’s why Ukraine must win," Kuleba said. "Only then will Mr. Putin seek peace, not war."
He expressed gratitude to "all our partners in Europe and around the world who are standing with Ukraine in this difficult time."
He said: "Yet I want to be clear: Military assistance to Ukraine is not charity. It is a necessary investment in Europe’s long-term security."
Kuleba also wrote in his guest essay that the Ukrainian army "will emerge out of this conflict — Europe’s largest land war since 1945 — as one of the continent’s most capable military forces."
He declared that "after repelling Russia’s invasion, the Ukrainian military will devote itself to safeguarding the security and stability of Europe, protecting democracy from any authoritarian encroachment."
His piece was published as Russia’s war on Ukraine entered its 156th day.
(gs)
Source: PAP, nytimes.com
