Force Russia to make peace, Zelensky urges West

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made a fervent appeal to Western leaders, urging them to exert pressure on Russia to seek peace through any means necessary. Zelensky emphasized the need for tangible coercion of Russia, which he accused of seeking to destroy Ukraine and move forward. He has consistently maintained that direct negotiations with Russia will not take place until Moscow's forces withdraw from all Ukrainian territory, including Crimea. However, Russia's recent gains against Ukraine, coupled with a shortage of Western-supplied weapons in Kyiv, have posed significant challenges for the country. Zelensky highlighted that Russia has been dropping approximately 3,200 guided aerial bombs on Ukraine each month, raising concerns about the country's ability to combat such attacks. Despite the upcoming peace summit in Switzerland, which is expected to include representatives from more than 90 countries, Zelensky rejected the idea of inviting Russia, emphasizing the urgency to lift bans on donated weapons being used to strike internationally recognized Russian territory. The summit aims to chart a course for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine based on 10 demands set forth by Kyiv, including the return of all invaded territory, reparation payments for war-related damages, and the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Russian war crimes, a plan that Moscow has flatly rejected. Zelensky's diplomatic efforts were further validated by the announced $1bn (£783m) aid package from Spain, demonstrating that his appeals for continued military and humanitarian aid have not gone unnoticed.