Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Tuesday that while the war with Russia would ultimately be resolved through dialogue, Ukraine must first secure a strong position. He plans to present a comprehensive strategy to U.S. President Joe Biden and his two potential successors.
Speaking at a press conference, Zelenskyy outlined how Kyiv’s recent military actions, particularly its incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, were part of this plan. However, he emphasized that the approach also includes economic and diplomatic efforts.
“The main point of this plan is to force Russia to end the war. And I want that very much—(that it would be) fair for Ukraine,” Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv, referring to Russia’s full-scale invasion that began in February 2022.
While Zelenskyy did not disclose specific details of the next steps, he indicated that discussions would extend to Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and likely Republican Donald Trump, the top contenders for the upcoming U.S. presidential election. Zelenskyy also expressed his hope to visit the United States in September to attend the U.N. General Assembly in New York, where he plans to meet with Biden.
Zelenskyy’s comments suggest that he views a future international summit as a key platform for peace talks, with Ukraine seeking Russian participation in future meetings. The first peace summit, held in Switzerland in June, excluded Russia but attracted many international delegations, though not China. Ukraine has been working to gain support from the global south, particularly nations like India.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, however, dismissed the idea of negotiations after Ukraine launched a cross-border offensive in the Kursk region on Aug. 6.
Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, advocating for a swift and peaceful resolution to the conflict.
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‘No Compromises with Putin’
Zelenskyy remains firm in his stance against Russia’s attempts to dictate the terms of any peace settlement, something Kyiv deems unacceptable. Putin has previously stated that any agreement would require Ukraine to acknowledge the “realities on the ground,” which include Russian control over large portions of four Ukrainian regions and Crimea.
“There can be no compromises with Putin, dialogue today is in principle empty and meaningless because he does not want to end the war diplomatically,” Zelenskyy reiterated during the press conference.
He pointed to Ukraine’s offensive in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces claim to control over 1,200 square kilometers (463 square miles) of Russian territory. Zelenskyy believes this has reduced global pressure on Ukraine to accept compromises that would concede territory to Russia.
On the battlefield, Zelenskyy ridiculed Putin’s priorities, accusing him of focusing on territorial gains in Ukraine while failing to defend Russian territory. He highlighted Ukraine’s capture of 100 settlements in Kursk, contrasting it with Russia’s continued slow advances in the eastern Donetsk region.
Zelenskyy also reported progress on Ukraine’s domestic weapons production, confirming the successful test of a domestically-produced ballistic missile.
