File image
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday called on world leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to take a firmer stance against Russia, saying they must clearly ask President Vladimir Putin to end the war.In a post on X sharing excerpts from his interview with CNN, Zelensky said mediation alone may not be enough to stop the conflict. “I think President Trump, President Xi, Prime Minister Modi and other big players in the world should tell Putin that he has to stop this war,” he said. “They cannot say to Ukraine: ‘You have to stop the war.’ We are defending. We are not aggressors.”
He watches
Is Zelensky’s fate inevitable? Putin drops a bomb and declares “the end” and “victory” in Ukraine | He watches
He also questioned the effectiveness of neutral mediation, saying: “If you mediate, he doesn’t feel guilty… If we really want to stop him, I’m not sure powerful countries can be mediators.”
“Global pressure is needed, not compromise.”
Zelensky stressed that ending the war requires united international pressure instead of settlement-based dialogue. He said: “We all have to stop Putin. What does it mean to be a great leader? It means stopping war through diplomacy.”
He added that the presence of foreign forces along the front lines could serve as a deterrent against any future Russian aggression, warning that without such measures, “no words will stop Putin.”
Ukraine expands its defense relations in the Middle East
In a separate post, Zelensky highlighted Ukraine’s growing defense partnerships and announced agreements with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on drone cooperation.“We have signed three large security documents…and these will translate into many different contracts,” he said, adding that Ukraine offers expertise, training missions and cost-effective drone systems.He pointed out that cheaper interceptor missiles could confront expensive attack drones, saying: “They will destroy them not with a $3-4 million missile, but with a $10,000 interceptor missile.”Zelensky’s comments come amid concerns that rising tensions in the Middle East could affect Ukraine’s access to vital defense systems. He warned that a prolonged conflict involving Iran could jeopardize US military aid packages, especially anti-missile systems.Despite this, he expressed gratitude for the US support and said Ukraine was open to sharing its defense innovations with the US as well.