President Volodymyr Zelensky told the U.N. Security Council on Sept. 24 that peace cannot be achieved through negotiations alone, but that Russia must be forced to end the war.
Zelensky has been rallying support from Western leaders for his "victory plan" to bring an end to the war, which began when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
He emphasized that the war will eventually conclude, but not because "someone got tired of the war" or through a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin, rejecting proposals to cede Ukrainian territory as a means to resolve the conflict.
"This war can't be calmed by talks. Action is needed," Zelensky said, thanking nations that have supported Ukraine. "Putin has violated so many international norms and rules that he won't stop on his own. 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 U.N. Charter."
Zelensky also condemned North Korea and Iran for supplying weapons to Russia, calling them "de facto accomplices" of Moscow.
Zelensky believes that if his strategy gains Western backing, it could exert significant pressure on Moscow, potentially influencing Putin to seek a diplomatic end to the conflict. While he's shared few specifics about the "victory plan," Zelensky has indicated that it would pave the way for a second Ukraine-led peace summit, which Kyiv intends to host later this year and invite Russia to attend.
Russia has recently announced it will not participate in any future iterations of the peace summit.
During the U.N. Security Council meeting, Russia’s Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia criticized the inclusion of Zelensky, dismissing the focus on Ukraine. "Western countries could not refrain from poisoning the atmosphere once again, trying to fill the air time with the hackneyed Ukrainian issue," Nebenzia was quoted as saying.
Asami Terajima
