New York: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed optimism about the end of the war with Russia during an interview with ABC News. Excerpts from the interview, released on Monday, highlighted his belief that Ukraine is “closer to the end of the war”.
“I think that we are closer to the peace than we think,” Zelenskiy said. “We are closer to the end of the war.”
In the interview, Zelenskiy urged the U.S. and other allies to continue their support for Ukraine, stressing the importance of international assistance in ending the conflict. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022—initially framed by Moscow as a “special operation”—tens of thousands have lost their lives, millions have been displaced, and Ukrainian cities have been severely damaged.
Zelenskiy emphasized that Ukraine can only push Russian President Vladimir Putin to cease hostilities from a “strong position”, underscoring the need for ongoing military and economic backing from global partners.
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Arriving in the U.S. on Sunday to attend the U.N. General Assembly, Zelenskiy called on international leaders to help secure “a shared victory for a truly just peace”.
Since the beginning of the conflict, Washington and its allies have provided billions of dollars in assistance to Ukraine, while also enacting numerous rounds of sanctions on Russia.
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On the other hand, Putin has maintained that peace talks can only begin if Kyiv agrees to surrender parts of eastern and southern Ukraine and renounces its pursuit of NATO membership. Zelenskiy, however, remains firm in his demands for the full withdrawal of Russian forces and the restoration of Ukraine’s post-Soviet borders.
