PHNOM PENH: Prime Minister Hun Sen said that the invasion of Russian territory by the Ukrainian army will not stand because Russia will retaliate and only civilians will suffer.

Speaking at a meeting with nearly 20,000 workers in Phnom Penh's Pou Senchey district on the morning of June 14, the PM said that Ukraine will continue its fight against Russia, but that Russia would never allow Ukraine to occupy its territories.

"No matter how much the United States and the West provide weapons, it is impossible," he said. "Only Ukrainians and Russians keep dying."

The PM revealed that in his recent conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he asked if Ukraine plans to reclaim the territory Russia seized. President Zelenskyy said that he does. The PM does not believe that war can end with more war and called for a peaceful settlement via negotiations on the issue.

The Russian-Ukrainian war erupted on February 24, 2022 continues to this day. Russia’s invasion sparked a number of humanitarian crises. According to a UN report released last month, nearly 9,000 Ukrainian civilians have lost their lives in the conflict, with thousands more left without a home.