Zelensky's New Year Message: A Call for Strong Peace Amid Ongoing Conflict

Ukrainian President's Firm Stance on Peace

Kyiv: In his address on New Year’s Eve, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine expressed a desire for the war to conclude but emphasized that any peace agreement must be robust and not compromise the nation's future.

Zelensky's comments followed Russian President Vladimir Putin's assertion that Russia would ultimately triumph in the ongoing conflict.

In a televised speech lasting 21 minutes, just before midnight, Zelensky recognized the exhaustion felt by Ukrainians after nearly four years of warfare, a duration he pointed out exceeds the German occupation during World War II.

Despite this fatigue, he firmly stated that it would not lead to surrender.

"What does Ukraine want? Peace? Yes. At any cost? No," he declared, adding, "We seek an end to the war, but not at the expense of Ukraine's existence."

"Are we tired? Very," he acknowledged. "Does this mean we are ready to surrender? Anyone who thinks so is gravely mistaken."

The Ukrainian leader cautioned that any agreement lacking solid and credible guarantees would merely extend the conflict instead of resolving it.

"Any signature on weak agreements only fuels the war," he remarked. "My signature will be on a strong agreement."

Zelensky noted that current diplomatic efforts are aimed at achieving a lasting and meaningful resolution. "Every meeting, every phone call, every decision is focused on securing a strong peace—not just for a day, a week, or two months, but for years," he stated.

He mentioned that weeks of diplomacy led by the U.S., including discussions with President Donald Trump in Florida, have brought negotiations close to fruition.

"A peace agreement is 90 percent ready," Zelensky revealed. "That remaining 10 percent is crucial. It will determine the future of peace, Ukraine, and Europe."

However, he admitted that unresolved territorial disputes remain a significant barrier to a final agreement.

Reports indicate that Russia currently occupies approximately 19 percent of Ukrainian land, primarily in the southern and eastern regions. Moscow has been insisting that Kyiv withdraw from parts of the eastern Donbas region that Russian forces have not fully taken.

Conversely, Ukraine aims to maintain the current front lines. Zelensky dismissed Russian demands for a complete withdrawal from Donbas, labeling them as "deception."

"Does anyone still believe them? Unfortunately, yes," he said. "Because too often, the truth is sidestepped and labeled as diplomacy when it is merely lies in business attire."

Meanwhile, President Putin addressed soldiers on the front lines, expressing confidence in Russia's eventual victory in Ukraine, even as the conflict continues into another year without a clear resolution.

In a brief New Year message broadcast from the Kamchatka peninsula, the easternmost region of Russia, Putin hailed the troops as "heroes" and sought to convey determination after nearly four years of conflict, according to reports from a media outlet.

He told the "fighters and commanders," "We believe in you and our victory."