Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky marked the thousandth day of Russia’s massive invasion of his country with a call to push Moscow toward “a just peace.”
Zelensky said in a video address to the European Parliament that Russian President Vladimir Putin lacked the “real motivation” to enter into real peace negotiations, thanking Ukrainian supporters.
He pushed for tougher sanctions on Russian ships carrying oil, and more weapons to hit Russian military targets such as ammunition depots, to push Putin to the negotiating table.
The Ukrainian president warned that Putin, in pursuit of victory, could increase the deployment of North Korean troops to Ukraine’s borders from 11,000 to 100,000.
Zelensky also criticized European leaders for their focus on winning elections “at the expense of Ukraine” while Putin is focused on winning the war, a sharp message to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
“A thousand days of war is a huge challenge,” Zelensky said, praising the achievements of the European Union and Ukraine in defending their values.
“Ukraine deserves to make next year the year of peace,” he finished, to applause from EU lawmakers gathered for the special meeting.
