Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has outlined three reasons he says indicate that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s lack of interest in ending the war.
In a statement on April 10, Zelenskyy said he had proposed direct talks at the leadership level on territorial issues but claimed that Putin had refused.
In addition, the Ukrainian President said he also suggested the deployment of American and European troops along the front line after a ceasefire to prevent renewed fighting, adding that this proposal was also rejected by Moscow.
Putin Not Ready For Peace
Thirdly, Zelensky argued that Russia’s interest in Ukraine’s Donbas region is strategic rather than limited, warning that control of the area would open access to key Ukrainian cities.
According to Zelenskyy, these positions indicate that Russia’s broader objective is continued aggression rather than a limited territorial gain.
“Second, if he doesn’t want to continue the aggression after a ceasefire, propose deploying American and European soldiers along the contact line. Putin’s response was, “No, no foreign soldiers of any kind”. Why? This can only mean he wants to go forward,” read part of the statement.
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Zelenskyy Casts Doubt on Putin’s Peace Plan
Additionally, the Ukrainian leader said he believes the Russian President understands that Russia cannot fully occupy Ukraine, but may be presenting different messages to international partners than his actual position.
Zelenskyy said Russia is suffering heavy battlefield losses and is facing shortages of well-trained personnel.
He claimed Putin is seeking an “off-ramp” that would allow him to claim a form of victory, including attempting to push Ukraine out of Donbas through diplomatic pressure and negotiations involving the United States.
Further, he argued that a full occupation of Donbas would come at an extremely high human cost for Russia, suggesting this makes such an operation difficult to sustain even for Moscow.
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Why Ceasefire is Not Favouring Ukraine
Zelenskyy said Russian authorities understand that a Ukrainian withdrawal from Donbas would deepen internal divisions and weaken national unity.
He warned that any such split could create an opportunity for renewed Russian military action aimed at quickly advancing further into Ukraine.
The Ukrainian President argued that even without immediate escalation, a pause in fighting could allow Russia to regroup, recruit and train additional forces, strengthen its defense industry, and seek relief from international sanctions.
Zelenskyy concluded that a ceasefire based on the current front lines would serve not only Ukraine’s interests but also those of its international partners.
“So a ceasefire in the format “stay where we stay” is not only our wish, but also in the interest of our partners too,” he said.
