Kyiv: With the sound of war still echoing across eastern Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky has once again turned his words into weapons this time aimed directly at Vladimir Putin.
In a firm and emotionally charged video message shared on social media platform X, Zelensky declared that the end of the brutal Russia-Ukraine war hinges on one decision alone: Russia choosing to stop it.
“There should be a just end to the war,” Zelensky said. “But it depends on Russia. They are the ones who must stop what they started. The killing must end. Eternal peace is the only acceptable outcome.”
In a pointed remark, he added: “I know that. The world knows that. But the one who doesn’t is Putin.”
While reiterating Ukraine’s support for peace frameworks, Zelensky acknowledged the influential role of Washington. He expressed confidence in the United States’ capacity to steer the war toward resolution, calling President Biden’s position strong and unwavering.
Interestingly, Zelensky also noted Ukraine’s support for proposals put forth by former President Donald Trump earlier this year an unusual gesture that signals Kyiv’s willingness to entertain a wide range of diplomatic solutions, as long as they do not compromise Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Despite talks of peace, Zelensky drew a red line that remains unchanged: no land will be traded for peace.
“We will not hand over a single piece of our land not a village, not a hill, not an inch,” Zelensky reaffirmed. “Any so-called peace that asks Ukraine to shrink itself is not peace. It’s surrender. And we will never surrender.”
This comes days after Zelensky publicly rejected suggestions of territorial concessions to accelerate ceasefire negotiations. For Ukraine, peace without dignity is simply not peace at all.
As the war enters another grinding season, Zelensky’s message is clear and unwavering: the door to peace is open but Russia must be the one to walk through it. For now, Ukraine waits not in silence, but in resistance.