Putin fears army’s return and won't end Ukraine war - Zelenskyy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Brussels, Belgium, June 18, 2026 (Photo: REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov)
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin fears his army returning home which is why he does not want to end the war in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters, Interfax-Ukraine reported on June 19.
“Putin does not want to stop, and all his talk about wanting peace is a lie,” Zelenskyy said.
He added that Ukraine is ready for negotiations, but Europe must ramp up pressure on Russia through sanctions, including confiscating assets.
“Putin is certainly afraid of his army returning home. That’s why he’s so afraid of ending the war without negotiations,” Zelenskyy stated.
The President said that Russia may renew aggression in the future if there is no reliable security guarantee in place, seeing as Putin still aims to restore Soviet-like influence.
Negotiations with Russia
Trilateral peace talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. stalled in early 2026 due to the war in Iran outbreak.
The Kremlin announced on May 7 that USA-Ukraine-Russia trilateral talks are pointless as long as Ukrainian forces remain in the Russian-occupied part of Donbas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine will never agree to these terms.
Zelenskyy published an open letter to Putin on June 4, urging the Russian dictator to end the war “in a format between you and us” and proposing a personal meeting. The Ukrainian president also expressed his readiness to freeze the current frontline.
Putin declined the invitation to meet.
Zelenskyy said on June 15 that he and Donald Trump discussed the possibility of holding a meeting with Putin in the U.S.
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