Zelenskyy: war with Russia “closer to the end” than expected

In a recent interview with ABC News, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed optimism about the conclusion of the ongoing war with Russia, saying that peace may be nearer than many anticipate. Zelenskyy called upon Ukraine’s allies to bolster the nation’s military capacity, emphasizing that a stronger Ukraine was key to securing victory.

“The victory plan is to strengthen Ukraine, so we ask our friends, our allies to strengthen us. This is very important. I think we are closer to peace than we think. We are close to the end of the war,” Zelenskyy added.

He also highlighted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s vulnerability, referencing the Kursk operation and suggesting that Putin’s inability to defend Russian territory was causing fear within his ranks.

“It is true, he is very afraid, why? Because his people saw that he could not defend, that he could not defend his entire territory,” Zelenskyy explained.

Zelensky stressed that Ukraine must negotiate from a “strong position” to pressure Putin into ending the conflict, underlining the necessity of continued military support from international allies.