Zelensky says Russia is not preparing to end the war
Ukraine's president said Moscow keeps inventing excuses to avoid ending the war, even as he pointed to a wave of diplomacy planned for October.
What we know
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X that Russia is not preparing to stop the war 'at least for now,' saying President Vladimir Putin repeatedly finds excuses not to meet, hold trilateral talks, or end the fighting. [1]
- Zelenskyy said the United States sees the situation the same way, and that a recent meeting with the U.S. president reflected this pattern from Putin. [1]
- Zelenskyy said Ukraine is working with the United States, Europe, Canada, Japan and other partners to pressure Russia to end the war rather than keep spending on it. [1]
- Zelenskyy said the coming days and all of October will see significant diplomatic activity, and that pressure mechanisms including what he called the 'Lindsey Graham Act' need to be intensified. [1]
- Not yet confirmed: Zelenskyy did not specify what the recent meeting with the U.S. president entailed, nor did he give details of the planned October diplomatic activity or the exact mechanism he referred to as the 'Lindsey Graham Act.'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is not currently preparing to stop its war against Ukraine, arguing that President Vladimir Putin keeps inventing reasons to avoid meeting, holding trilateral talks or ending the fighting. [1]
"It has been the same with him for years – and all our partners feel it," Zelenskyy wrote on X, adding that Putin "is looking for excuses to keep waging the war." [1]
Zelenskyy said a recent meeting with the U.S. president confirmed this assessment, and that the United States views the situation the same way Ukraine does. [1]
According to Zelenskyy, Russia needs to develop a willingness to stop spending money on the war and instead redirect resources elsewhere. He said Ukraine is working on this together with the United States, Europe, Canada, Japan and other international partners. [1]
Zelenskyy said the coming days and the entire month of October will bring a significant amount of diplomatic activity aimed at changing the course of the war. He said pressure mechanisms, including what he referred to as the "Lindsey Graham Act," need to be pushed harder. [1]