Force Russia to make peace, Zelensky urges West

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appealed to Western leaders to exert pressure on Russia to achieve peace using all necessary means. He emphasized the need for tangible coercion of Russia, which is seeking to destroy Ukraine and make progress. Zelensky has consistently stated that he will not engage in direct negotiations with Russia until Russian forces withdraw from all Ukrainian territory, including Crimea. However, Russia has been gaining ground against Ukraine, leading to a shortage of Western-supplied weapons in Kyiv. Zelensky highlighted that Russia has been dropping approximately 3,200 guided aerial bombs on Ukraine each month, posing a significant challenge for Ukraine's defense. He also dismissed the idea of inviting Russia to a planned peace summit in Switzerland next month, which is anticipated to involve representatives from more than 90 countries. The summit aims to outline a path for a fair and enduring peace in Ukraine based on 10 demands presented by Kyiv, including the return of all invaded territory, reparation payments for war-related damages, and the establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute Russian war crimes. Zelensky urged Western leaders to lift restrictions on donated weapons being used to target internationally recognized Russian territory and to exert pressure on partners to provide Ukraine with the means to defend itself against Russia.