Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that it would be ‘suicidal’ for Europe to offer the Kremlin concessions to halt its invasion of Ukraine, after Moscow demanded the West enter direct talks on ending the war.
The Ukrainian president also blasted some European leaders, without specifying who he was referring to, for ‘strongly’ pushing Ukraine to compromise, and berated some for having cosy relationships with Vladimir Putin.
‘We need sufficient weapons, not support in talks. Hugs with Putin won’t help. Some of you have been hugging him for 20 years, and things are only getting worse,’ Zelensky said.
Kyiv is currently ramping up the pressure on its allies to increase support for its fight against Russia following Donald Trump‘s victory in the US presidential election.
Trump boasted throughout his campaign that he could end the conflict within hours and repeatedly criticised American aid to Kyiv, with Zelensky quick to congratulate the Republican on his win yesterday as he tried to court his favour.
Volodymyr Zelensky was pictured clasping hands with France’s president Emmanuel Macron today
A burning residential building following a missile attack in Mykolaivka, Donetsk region, today
Russian president Vladimir Putin is pictured in the Kremlin during a remote ceremony to launch the Arktika-class nuclear-powered icebreaker Chukotka, November 6
Putin has demanded Ukraine cede swathes more territory in its east and south as a precondition to peace talks, while Kyiv has repeatedly ruled out ceding any land to Moscow in exchange for peace.
Ukraine and many in the West fear any settlement that rewards Putin would only embolden the Kremlin leader and lead to more aggression.
Speaking to European leaders at a summit in Hungary, Zelensky blasted those who were pressuring him to give in to some of Putin’s hardline demands.
‘There has been much talk about the need to yield to Putin, to back down, to make some concessions,’ Zelensky said.’It’s unacceptable for Ukraine and suicidal for all Europe.’
Zelensky met with Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron among other European leaders today as he works tirelessly to shore up support for his country’s war effort amid fears that US aid could be pulled under a Trump administration.
His comments come after United Nations chief Antonio Guterres was criticised for seemingly bowing as he shook hands with Putin.
Footage also showed Guterres embracing the dictator’s ally, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, at the BRICS summit held in Russian city Kazan.
Russia demanded on Thursday that Kyiv’s allies enter into negotiations with Moscow if they want to halt the brutish attacks on Ukrainians.
Keir Starmer and Zelensky shake hands during the 5th summit of the European Political Community in Budapest
Tankers from the 33rd separate mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces fire with a Leopard 2A4 tank during field training in Ukraine
The head of Russia’s Security Council Sergei Shoigu said the West faced a choice between opening direct talks with Moscow or the continuing ‘destruction’ of Ukraine’s population.
‘Now, when the situation in the theatre of combat is not in Kyiv’s favour, the West is faced with a choice,’ Shoigu said at a meeting with defence officials of other former Soviet states.
‘To continue financing (Kyiv) and the destruction of the Ukrainian population or recognise the current realities and start negotiating,’ the former defence minister said.
They were among the first comments from a Russian official since Trump was confirmed to have been elected president of the United States.
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Zelensky has previously said that without US aid, Ukraine would lose the war.
His outmanned and outgunned army is already on the backfoot in the eastern Donbas region, where Russian forces have been slowly advancing for months.
Moscow on Thursday said its forces had wrested control of Kreminna Balka, a village that had a pre-war population of fewer than 50 people in the industrial Donetsk region where Ukrainian defences have been pushed back again and again.
President Zelensky was quick to congratulate Trump yesterday on his election victory
Ukraine meanwhile faced another night of aerial bombardments across the country, including on the capital Kyiv, ahead of what could be the country’s toughest winter yet.
Ukrainian media reported that Donetsk region authorities were preparing to announce mandatory evacuations from seven more villages in the region that the Kremlin claimed in 2022 was part of Russia.
Moscow’s overnight drone attack on Ukraine damaged buildings in the southern Black Sea city of Odesa where AFP journalists saw residents inspecting destroyed cars and residential buildings as dawn broke.
And at least three people were killed in the aerial attacks overnight and into Thursday – one each in the Kherson, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia regions, according to local officials.
The air force said it had shot down 74 Russian-deployed drones in 11 different regions, out of a total of 106 drones launched by Moscow at Ukraine.
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