Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told world leaders at the United Nations that Russian President Vladimir Putin remains the main obstacle to ending what he called a “ridiculous and never-ending war”. He urged countries to increase pressure on Moscow by restricting Russia’s revenues and limiting its ability to sustain military operations.
“Our target is Russia’s ability to finance this war, to drag it out, to make it more brutal and more destructive,” Zelenskyy told the UN General Assembly. “Russia’s finances and Russia’s production are what must be stopped if Putin is to be stopped.”
He argued that when Russia receives revenue from international trade, it has less incentive to pursue diplomacy.
“Russia’s revenues must remain a target,” Zelenskyy said.
US and Russia discuss the war
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov clashed with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and European supporters of Ukraine during a UN Security Council meeting.
Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also met on the sidelines of the General Assembly to discuss the war.
Rubio said reaching even a partial agreement would be difficult but worthwhile, noting that Zelenskyy has publicly supported such a proposal. He said the United States would be prepared to assist in efforts to reach an agreement.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry did not mention a partial agreement on grain shipments in its statement following the Lavrov-Rubio meeting. Instead, it reiterated Moscow’s position that the root causes of what it calls its “special military operation” must be addressed.
At the Security Council, Lavrov said Russia would not “pause” its military action, arguing that Europe would use a pause to “pump” Ukraine with weapons.
He also did not refer to a potential grain or energy agreement and accused Ukraine’s government of being “terrorists”. He said Russia’s military operation was intended to ensure Russia’s security and protect the rights of Russian speakers.
Lavrov is scheduled to address the General Assembly on Saturday.
Zelenskyy questions Russia’s interest in peace
Zelenskyy questioned whether Russia genuinely wants to end the fighting.
“Something always seems to stop Putin from saying, ‘That’s it. Enough. Peace,’” Zelenskyy said. “Can you even imagine him without war? He is ‘patient zero’, the one from whom this idea of war keeps spreading further.”
“The more freedom Putin has to act, the more dangerous the world becomes for everyone else,” he warned.
The war has had global consequences, affecting fuel, fertiliser and grain shipments while deepening geopolitical divisions between Russia and Western countries.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, initially expecting to capture Kyiv within a short period. Ukraine mounted a defence of its territory, and the conflict has continued, with front-line positions in eastern and southern Ukraine showing limited movement over the past year.
Western analysts estimate that more than 500,000 Russian troops have been killed and that Ukraine has suffered more than 500,000 military casualties, including as many as 140,000 deaths. Neither Russia nor Ukraine publishes its own comprehensive military casualty figures.
Drone and missile attacks intensify
Russia and Ukraine have increased their use of long-range drones and missiles.
Russian drones struck Kyiv, killing two people and injuring 23, while another strike caused a major fire at a shopping centre in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, injuring two people.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said it had targeted Ukrainian military-industrial and energy facilities, logistics centres and sea vessels.
The ministry also said Russian air defences intercepted more than 500 Ukrainian drones over several Russian regions and Crimea, as well as areas around the Sea of Azov and Black Sea.
Crimea was seized by Russia and illegally annexed in 2014, according to the internationally recognised position of Ukraine and much of the international community.
Zelenskyy: ‘You can stand and survive’
Zelenskyy told the General Assembly that Russia had used 63,000 attack drones of various types against Ukraine during the year.
While saying Ukraine had demonstrated that “even against a much bigger enemy, you can stand and survive”, he called on world leaders to restrict Russia’s access to money and foreign fighters.
“Limit his money. Limit his war,” Zelenskyy said.
He said Ukraine needed to strengthen its military and had successfully tested four new jet-powered interceptor drones against Iranian-designed Shahed drones used by Russia in Ukraine.
He also highlighted drone and anti-ballistic missile agreements and programmes involving several countries.
Zelenskyy expressed concern that artificial intelligence could eventually influence battlefield decisions through the development of autonomous weapons.
“We need peace before we reach that point,” he said.
“Sometimes, it may seem that Ukraine is focused, focused, only on war because we speak about weapons, we speak about defense and sanctions against the aggressor. But Ukrainians did not choose this war,” Zelenskyy said. “We choose not to die….. We are defending ourselves.”
