Only threat to Moscow could force Putin into peace — Zelenskyy
Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Kyiv apartment building destroyed by a Russian missile on July 2 (Photo: REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko)
Even as Russian offensive in Ukraine stalls and fuel logistics
on the Russian periphery continues
to suffer from Ukrainian drone strikes, dictator Vladimir Putin shows no
signs of preparing to end the war, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on July
2.
Talking to reporters after Russia’s devastating missile strike on Kyiv that killed at least 23 people in the capital, Zelenskyy said that, faced with a lack of real battlefield successes, the Kremlin leader is resorting to overt terror, hoping to intimidate Ukraine with massive missile strikes and aggressive rhetoric.
“Putin is losing this war — that’s what’s happening; he clearly understands that he can intimidate people and simply destroy civilians with missile strikes,” Zelenskyy said.
He said Russia is also suffering serious internal problems that are affecting its capabilities, including significant issues with military logistics and the steady supply of ammunition. Russia is experiencing acute shortages of oil, gasoline and diesel fuel, and has been forced to begin importing energy supplies from abroad, Zelenskyy added.
Assessing prospects for a potential ceasefire, Zelenskyy said that losing control of occupied Crimea alone would not be decisive for the Kremlin. He said only a direct threat to the Russian capital — starving Moscow itself of resources — could force Putin to negotiate.
Zelenskyy added that Putin’s main goal is to present some significant victory to shore up domestic support, but he said such a victory will not materialize.
“He needs to sell his people a big victory. There is no
victory. There will be no victory,” the president said.
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