Ukraine War: Selenskyj – Peace is closer than we think (Video)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes that the war in his country against the aggressor Russia can be ended next year. “Decisive action now can accelerate a fair end to Russian aggression against Ukraine next year,” Zelensky wrote on Platform X after a meeting with a bipartisan delegation from the US Congress. “Our victory plan will help practically force Russia to make peace.” Zelensky continued in an interview with the US broadcaster ABC News: “I think we are closer to peace than we think.”

Zelenskyj wants to present his plan in talks and possibly public speeches around the UN summit in New York. In doing so, he hopes to secure additional political and military support from his allies. According to a report in the British newspaper “The Times”, the plan includes a demand for Western security guarantees similar to those of NATO membership. In addition, unspecified weapons and further financial aid are to be requested.

“Putin will never steal the future of the world”

Zelensky is scheduled to attend the UN Security Council meeting on the Ukraine issue today and is expected to speak at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday. US President Joe Biden will also receive him at the White House. After the meeting with the US Congressional delegation, Zelensky said: “Now, at the end of the year, we have a real opportunity to strengthen cooperation between Ukraine and the United States.” He is grateful to the US Congress, both parties and chambers, for their unwavering commitment.

In his speech at the United Nations Future Summit at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday (local time), Zelensky said that the second peace summit is currently being prepared. He invited all heads of state and government and nations to continue to support the joint efforts for a just and peaceful future. “Putin has already stolen a lot, but he will never steal the future of the world. I am sure of that,” Zelensky stressed.

Moscow continues to refuse to take part in the peace summit. In June, dozens of states, excluding Russia and China, took part in a first meeting in Switzerland. Zelensky is planning a second meeting in November.

Scholz does not want to relax rules for use of German weapons

Before his meeting with Selensky, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) reiterated that he did not want to further relax the rules for the use of German weapons in Ukraine’s defensive struggle against Russia. With regard to military support for Ukraine, the federal government had made “a few decisions that are very clear to me,” said the SPD politician. This also included the fact that Germany would not lift range restrictions. “That is not compatible with my personal position. (…) We will not do that. And we have good reasons for that.”

Zelenskyj repeatedly asks the allies for long-range weapons so that they can attack Russian logistics and military airfields far behind the front line on Russian territory. The longest-range weapon supplied by Germany is the Mars II rocket launcher, which can hit targets at a distance of 84 kilometers. In a limited area around Kharkiv, the German government has also authorized the use of this weapon and the Panzerhaubitze 2000, which has a range of 56 kilometers, against targets on Russian soil.

Selenskyj thanks Germany

Kremlin chief Putin has stated that he would view the use of long-range Western precision weapons against targets deep within Russian territory as NATO participation in the war.

The Ukrainian president portrayed the meeting with Scholz in a positive light despite the rejection of the missiles. He thanked Germany for its help, he wrote on his Telegram channel. He mentioned Berlin’s contribution to the peace conference in Switzerland in particular. Zelensky did not explicitly address Scholz’s rejection of the missile deliveries, he only urged a general demonstration of unity.

Kyiv says situation in eastern Ukraine is tense

Despite the German no, Kiev is still relying on the release of weapons by other partners. Ukraine wants to use them primarily to destroy Russian aircraft on the ground before they bomb defensive positions or cities in Ukraine. In the east of the country, the Ukrainian military says it is still under pressure. “The situation in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove area remains tense,” the General Staff in Kiev said in its evening situation report. Of the total of 125 Russian attacks along the front, more than 50 were carried out in this sector.

While the Ukrainians themselves are confirmed by independent observers to have slowed the Russian advance on the strategically important Pokrovsk, the situation near Kurakhove further south remains dangerous for the defenders. Advances by Russian troops near the mining town of Hirnyk threaten to encircle several units there. A similar bypass of the defensive positions is also indicated further south near the town of Vuhledar, which the Russians tried in vain to take by frontal assault in the past.