Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not achieved his military goals in Ukraine in the context of marking the fourth year since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Agence France-Presse reported, BTA reported.
"Putin has not achieved his goals. He has not been able to crush the Ukrainians. He has not won this war. We defended Ukraine and we will do everything to achieve peace and for justice to prevail. We want peace - a strong, dignified and lasting peace," Zelensky said in a video address.
In an interview with CNN, quoted by the Ukrainian publication "Unian", Zelensky also appealed to US President Donald Trump to stay on the side of Ukraine.
"They must stay on the side of democracy, which is fighting against one person. Because this person personifies war, and his name is Putin. The problem is centered precisely in the personality of one person, and this is Putin. And his whole country is in a kind of prison," the Ukrainian president told CNN.
When asked whether Zelensky believes the United States is putting enough pressure on Putin, the Ukrainian head of state answered in the negative.
"If they really want to stop Putin, America is strong enough to do it," Zelensky added.
Regarding security guarantees for Ukraine, Zelensky pointed out that the question of the response of Kiev's allies remains controversial in the event that Russia embarks on a new war.
"It is true that there are good things in security guarantees. But I want to get a concrete answer - what are our partners ready for if Putin comes again. "That's exactly what Ukrainians want to hear," Zelensky stressed.
Zelensky noted in the interview that he insists that the security guarantees be first agreed upon and ratified by the US Congress. According to him, this will give the Ukrainian people confidence in the reliability of their allies in the future, because in the past, Ukrainians have been deceived too often.
Meanwhile, the heads of state of the Scandinavian and Baltic countries, including Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristershon, arrived in Ukraine today on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry announced.
"I am glad to welcome the leaders of eight Nordic and Baltic countries, our true and close allies in defending freedom, justice and truth," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Szybiga wrote on the social network "Ex".