Zelenskyy: We are closer to end of war than we think, but Ukraine should be strengthened

The President emphasized that only from a position of strength can Ukraine force Putin to stop the war.

Sep 24, 2024 - 07:00
Zelenskyy: We are closer to end of war than we think, but Ukraine should be strengthened

ukraine president volodymyr zelenskyy first lady olena zelenska speak robin roberts abc news new york city 23 september 2024

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed optimism about the end of the war with Russia and called for stronger support from allies during an exclusive interview with ABC News on 23 September.

The ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war has entered its 11th year, with Russia’s full-scale invasion lasting for 2.5 years. Zelenskyy has been on a visit to the US, where he’s expected to meet with President Joe Biden and two presidential candidates – Kamala Harris and Donald Trump – to present them with his “Ukraine’s victory plan.” One of the key points of which is lifting the West’s restrictions on long-range strikes inside Russia with Western-supplied weapons. Earlier, Zelenskyy warned of “very long war” if Biden doesn’t support his victory plan.

Speaking to NBC News’ “Good Morning America,”Zelenskyy stated,

“I think that we are closer to the peace than we think. We are closer to the end of the war. We just have to be very strong, very strong.”

The Ukrainian leader emphasized the importance of strengthening Ukraine’s position.

“The plan of victory is strengthening of Ukraine,” he said. “That’s why we’re asking our friends, our allies, to strengthen us. It’s very important.”

Zelenskyy’s interview took place during his visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. He is set to travel to Washington later this week to meet with President Joe Biden and presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. The Ukrainian president plans to present what he calls his “Victory Plan” during these meetings.

Addressing Ukraine’s recent military operations, Zelenskyy discussed the incursion into Russia’s Kursk region. He claimed that Ukraine had seized hundreds of square miles and dozens of villages in the early days of the surprise offensive. Zelenskyy asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “afraid” of the Kursk incursion, stating,

“It’s true. He’s afraid very much. Why? Because his people saw that he can’t defend – that he can’t defend all his territory.”

The Ukrainian president has repeatedly appealed to the United States and United Kingdom to drop their restrictions on long-range missiles provided to Ukraine for striking targets deep inside Russia. However, Putin once again threatened that the use of Western weapons to strike Russian targets would be considered a direct confrontation with NATO nations.

Zelenskyy emphasized that only from a “strong position” can Ukraine “push Putin to stop the war.”

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