Russia does not intend to end the war — Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the Russian Federation has no plans to end the war. Ukraine possesses sufficient evidence indicating that Russia does not seek a peaceful resolution as of early 2026.
Speaking to journalists, Zelensky said.
"I do not believe that Russia wants to end the war. There is plenty of evidence to the contrary. Sometimes they may want to 'pause the war' and try to present it domestically as a victory. That, in my view, is what is happening."
The President emphasized that Russia still has some time and resources to continue the war with Ukraine:
"They understand that they are not yet in a deadlock economically, but the direction is extremely negative. They have some reserves, because they have money and contracts. But sanctions pressure continues, there are results from it, and there will be even more."
Zelensky also mentioned his conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron regarding Russia’s "shadow fleet":
"I thanked him, saying: you stopped a tanker from the shadow fleet, President Trump is actively stopping them. Emmanuel explained that due to legislation in Europe, ships can be stopped temporarily but not indefinitely — they are detained, then released. He is now preparing to work on legislative changes. God willing, he will succeed. This concerns all countries, at least northern maritime nations that have influence."
The Ukrainian President stressed that Russian oil tankers should not only be detained but also prevented from leaving. He added:
"If all these measures work, the Russians will want to end the war sooner. This is one of the instruments."
Zelensky noted that Putin has still not achieved the objectives set at the start of the full-scale invasion:
"He has not achieved what he set out to do. That is why there is pressure for us to leave Donbas. If Ukraine leaves Donbas, that would be the only thing he could claim as his main goal and 'victory.' This is a key issue because it is the only thing they cling to in their propaganda narrative for their audience."
There have been no direct agreements with Russia regarding energy infrastructure.
The Kremlin announced its readiness for direct talks and invited Zelensky to Moscow.
