Ukraine's lead negotiator has ruled out any ceasefire deal in which Kyiv would cede territory to Russia or allow Russian troops to remain on its land.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to president Volodymyr Zelensky, who is leading talks with Moscow said such concessions would backfire as Russia would hit back harder after any break in fighting.
"The war will not stop. It will just be put on pause for some time," Mr Podolyak said in an interview with Reuters in the presidential office in Kyiv.
"They'll start a new offensive, even more bloody and largescale."
"The [Russian] forces must leave the country and after that the resumption of the peace process will be possible," Mr Podolyak said, referring to recent calls from US defense secretary Lloyd Austin and Italian prime minister Mario Draghi for an immediate ceasefire as "very strange".
Kyiv's stance has become increasingly uncompromising as Russia has experienced military setbacks and as Ukrainian officials grow worried they might be pressured to sacrifice land for a peace deal.
"The war must end with the complete restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty," Andriy Yermak, Ukraine's presidential chief of staff said in a Twitter post yesterday.
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