Zelenskyy wants to end Russia-Ukraine war next year using 'diplomatic means'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated he hopes to end the war with Russia next year through diplomatic means, according to an interview published on Saturday (November 16).

“On our part, we must do everything we can to ensure that this war ends next year. We have to end it by diplomatic means,” he told Ukrainian radio. “And this, I think, is very important.”

“We have to understand what the Russians want,” Zelenskyy said.

“You [Ukraine] are at war with a state [Russia] that does not value its people, that has a lot of equipment, that does not care how many people die,” he added.

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So far, there have been no meaningful discussions between Russia and Ukraine. However, the prospect of a Trump presidency has raised questions about the future of the conflict. The Republican leader has repeatedly stated that he would bring a swift end to the war– sparking fears that he would do so by stopping aid to Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared that he will only agree to talks with Ukraine if Kyiv surrenders the territories currently occupied by Moscow. Most recently, he relayed this demand to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in a phone call.

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Moscow has made steady advances in eastern Ukraine since this summer, inching closer to key hubs such as Pokrovsk and Kurakhove.

Zelenskyy said on Saturday that Russian forces were suffering heavy losses and that the advance had “slowed down” in some areas.

Still, the condition about territory has been a barrier to talks so far, with Zelenskyy having rejected that demand.

In fact, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said recently that Ukraine is fighting for all of its territory, including Crimea and Donbas– regions that were occupied by Russia in 2014.

With inputs from AFP