Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed optimism that the war with Russia could end sooner than many expect, emphasising that Ukraine’s strength is key to achieving peace.
“I think that we are closer to peace than we think. We just have to be very strong,” Zelensky told US broadcaster ABC News ahead of a high-profile visit to the United States.
During the interview, Zelensky revealed that his victory plan, which he will present to US President Joe Biden this week, focuses on strengthening Ukraine’s military rather than engaging in direct negotiations with Russia. He described the plan as “a bridge to a diplomatic way out” of the conflict, with the goal of compelling Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war by positioning Ukraine from a place of strength.
Zelensky is expected to once again urge the US and its Western allies to ease restrictions on the use of long-range missiles, which Ukraine could use to strike deeper into Russian territory. The Ukrainian president said the US must lead the decision, with other nations looking to President Biden for direction on the matter. Biden has so far not made a decision on allowing Ukraine access to the missiles.
Zelensky’s visit to the US includes a speech at the UN General Assembly and meetings with prominent figures, including US presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.
In response to reports of Ukraine’s victory plan, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would carefully consider the details but insisted that the conflict would only end when Russia’s objectives were achieved. Russia has continued its offensive across eastern and southern Ukraine, making advances near Vuhledar in the Donbas region.
As fighting rages on, Ukrainian military expert and retired colonel Kostyantyn Mashovets warned of potential losses in the Donbas, including the cities of Selydove, Toretsk, and Vuhledar. Mashovets urged Ukrainians to prepare for the possibility of losing these areas in the near future.
While diplomatic efforts continue, the war’s impact on civilians remains severe. On Tuesday, Russian forces hit a high-rise apartment block in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, killing at least three people and injuring 15 others. The attack, carried out with glide bombs, marks yet another instance of Russia targeting civilian areas.
The previous night, Russian strikes hit infrastructure in the eastern town of Poltava and the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, resulting in one death and six injuries.
Despite Zelensky’s push for a stronger military and continued optimism about Ukraine’s ability to win the war, some European leaders have urged caution. Czech President Petr Pavel told The New York Times that Ukraine may need to be “realistic” about the prospects of reclaiming all its lost territory, suggesting that parts of Ukraine could remain under Russian occupation for years to come. Pavel also said that a definitive defeat for either Ukraine or Russia was unlikely, with the end of the conflict most likely falling “somewhere in between.”
Chioma Kalu
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