Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday continued to hammer home his belief that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want an end to war.
In a video posted on X, Zelenskyy said that almost a week has passed since his nation accepted a ceasefire proposal initiated by the U.S., but Putin has been unwilling to agree to the deal.
"Tomorrow marks one week since the U.S. proposal for a ceasefire in the sky, at sea, and on the front lines has been on the table," Zelenskyy said. "The implementation of this proposal could have begun long ago. Every day in wartime is a matter of human lives. Now, almost a week later, it's clear to everyone in the world — even to those who refused to acknowledge the truth for the past three years — that it is Putin who continues to drag out this war.
"For a week now, Putin has been unable to squeeze out 'yes' to the ceasefire proposal. He's saying whatever he wants, but not what the whole world wants to hear. The unconditional ceasefire proposal is essentially about saving lives, allowing diplomats to work on ensuring security and a lasting peace — the proposal that Russia is ignoring. Pressure is needed to finally make Moscow accept that their war must be brought to an end."
President Donald Trump reportedly will speak with Putin by telephone Tuesday in their first direct talks in a month.
"I won't get ahead of those negotiations, but I can say we are on the 10-yard line of peace, and we've never been closer to a peace deal than we are in this moment, and the president, as you know, is determined to get one done," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday.
Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Monday that Moscow has agreed to "many elements" of a peace deal "but much remains."
Following negotiations between U.S. and Ukraine officials last week in Saudi Arabia, Kyiv agreed to a 30-day ceasefire as a springboard for a wider peace agreement. Putin reportedly said he was for the ceasefire, though set out additional conditions for its implementation and suggested a pause would benefit Ukraine.
Zelenskyy has since released several statements framing Putin as intentionally hindering ceasefire talks. On Saturday, he reported a massing of Russian troops along the border with Ukraine's eastern Sumy region.
"This indicates an intention to attack," Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X. "We are aware of this and will counter it. I would like all partners to understand exactly what Putin is planning, what he is preparing for and what he will be ignoring.
"The buildup of Russian forces indicates that Moscow intends to keep ignoring diplomacy. It is clear that Russia is prolonging the war. We are ready to provide our partners with all the real information on the situation at the front, in the Kursk region, and along our border."
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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