Zelensky speaks out against peace talks with Russia
The conflict in Ukraine cannot be resolved through negotiations, and decisive action is needed to “force” Russia into submission, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has told the UN Security Council.
Addressing a special UNSC session attended by nearly a dozen pro-Kiev non-member delegations, Zelensky insisted that “action” is necessary against Moscow because the conflict “can't be calmed by talks” and will not “simply fade away.”
“Russia can only be forced into peace, and that is exactly what's needed: forcing Russia into peace as the sole aggressor in this war, the sole violator of the UN Charter,” he claimed, without specifying what actions he had in mind.
Zelensky once again promoted his ‘peace formula’ and called on countries to “prepare a second peace summit” to end the conflict. He invited China, Brazil, the United States and others to participate, but did not specify what would be discussed.
“We know some in the world want to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin. We know it. To meet, to talk, to speak. But what could they possibly hear from him?” Zelensky stated.
Russia’s envoy to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, has criticized the meeting as yet another staged one-man show organized by Kiev’s Western backers.
“The only reason they called this meeting was to provide Mr. Zelensky with another concert venue at the United Nations, this time in the Security Council chamber. Today, he has a whole group of EU and NATO members ‘singing along,’ marching in lockstep every time they are called upon to come to the Security Council to malign the Russian Federation,” Nebenzia said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Zelensky said in an interview with ABC News that his “peace” initiative, recently rebranded as a “victory plan,” does not depend on negotiations with Russia but is aimed at boosting Ukraine’s military capabilities.
“It is not about negotiation with Russia,” he insisted, arguing that only by “strengthening Ukraine, the Ukrainian army, and the Ukrainian people… only in a strong position can we push Putin to stop the war.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to the Ukrainian leader’s claim that the end of the conflict could be near by reiterating that Kiev must accept the reality on the ground and that Moscow will stop its military operation only after all of its goals are achieved “one way or another.”
