Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, has been making the rounds across Europe recently to gather some more support for his country ahead of them likely pushing forward with a counteroffensive that’s been talked about now for months.
While making a stop in Italy last weekend, Zelensky said that his counterpart in Russia, President Vladimir Putin, is “insane” and that peace talks are not likely on his terms. According to a media readout from Ukraine, Zelensky said of Putin and peace:
“It’s a joke for him. He does not understand what is happening. He is an insane human. Russia started the war. Russia took lives. The war is on our land.
“We have not proposed an artificial plan. We have proposed how to get out of this situation, to end war, according to the law, respecting the UN Charter, international law, people, values.”
What Zelensky was referencing was the Ukrainian Peace Formula that his country has put forward. Essentially, it’s a plan that has 10 points that outlines the conditions that Kyiv has for agreeing to peace with Russia.
Nowhere in that plan is a mention of negotiating with the Russian leader, who he doesn’t believe would have pure intentions in doing so. Back in January, Zelensky said he was “not interested” in sitting down with Putin to conduct peace talks.
Zelensky’s office has said:
“[There is] no point in attempts by certain countries or influential individuals to mediate between Ukraine and Russia to end the war.”
That being said, Ukraine “welcomes the proposals of third parties to help overcome the crises provoked by the war and end the war.”
China has said that it wants to serve as an intermediary for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, but most people believe that the Communist country certainly wouldn’t be an independent voice in that matter. That seems to be what Zelensky was referring to with his comments above.
He continued to explain:
“We are a civilized state and we want peace, but a just peace. And we want a fair and just sentences for the murderers.”
While stopping in Italy over the weekend, Zelensky had meetings with various political leaders in the country, including both Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. He also met with Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, when he visited Rome.
After stopping in Italy, Zelensky moved onto Germany on Saturday, where an unveiling was held for a huge new military package of aid that’s being sent to Ukraine.
In a note posted to Twitter, Zelensky wrote:
“I thank Germany for the largest military aid package since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion.”
And during a news conference that he held with Olaf Scholz, the chancellor of Germany, Zelensky told reporters:
“Now is the time for us to determine the end of the war already this year. We can make the aggressor’s defeat irreversible already this year.”
