Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at the United Nations that Russia can only be forced into a peace settlement, as he vowed not to negotiate on Moscow’s terms to end the war.
Addressing a special UN Security Council session attended by a representative of Russia, Zelensky also joined the United States in pressuring Iran and North Korea for alleged military support to Russia.
Zelensky, on a trip in which he is presenting his “victory plan” for Ukraine, questioned the sincerity of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has suggested freezing lines of control.
“We know some in the world want to talk to Putin,” Zelensky said, “to possibly hear from him that he’s upset because we are exercising our right to defend our people.”
Zelensky, clad in his trademark military fatigues, called such views “insanity.”
“Russia can only be forced into peace, and that is exactly what’s needed — forcing Russia into peace,” he said.
Zelensky said that any end to Russia’s two-year-old invasion has to be based on the UN Charter, which enshrines sovereignty by member states.
“One day in this hall, it will surely be said that Russia’s war against Ukraine has ended — not paused, not forgotten, truly ended,” Zelensky said.
“This will happen not because someone got tired of the war, not because someone traded something with Putin. Russia’s war against Ukraine will end because the UN Charter will work.”
Zelensky will on Thursday meet at the White House with President Joe Biden, who in an address to the United Nations urged international support for Ukraine until victory.
