Amid the fervent exchanges of attacks on each other, it seems Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has had enough. In a video message posted on X on Christmas Eve, Zelensky stated that “despite all the suffering that Russia has brought, it is not capable of occupying or bombing what matters the most. That is our Ukrainian heart, our faith in one another and our unity”.
Without taking Putin’s name, he added, “today, we all share one dream, ‘And we have one wish for everyone: ‘May he perish,’ as everyone says to themselves.”
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He then spoke about peace in Ukraine and said, “But when we turn to God, of course, we ask for something greater. We ask for peace for Ukraine. We fight for it, we pray for it, we deserve it.”
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His Christmas wish comes after Russia hit Ukraine with missiles and drones on Tuesday, which killed at least three people and triggered power outages.
Zelensky further said, “On the eve of Christmas, the Russians once again showed who they truly are. Massive shelling, hundreds of ‘shaheds’, ballistic missiles, Kinzhal strikes – everything was used. This is how the godless strike.”
The 20 point plan to Stop War
The Ukrainian leader also shared details of the 20 point plan in a briefing with reporters. He said Kyiv will withdraw troops from the country’s eastern industrial heartland as a part of plan to end the war. However, he said this could be possible only if Moscow also pulls back and the area subsequently becomes a demilitarised zone monitored by international forces.
The Proposal marks the clearest indication yet of the compromises the Ukrainian leader would be willing to make on Donbas region, control of which is a major sticking point in peace negotiations.
A similar arrangement could be possible for the area around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is currently under Russian control, Zelensky said. He added that any peace plan would need to be put to a referendum.
Russias plan ahead
Russia has not yet indicated that it will be open to any sort of withdrawal from the land it has seized. As of yet, Russia has captured most of Luhansk and 70% of Donetsk, which makes up the Donbas – a region Putin insists Zelensky give up. Ukraine has rejected the ultimatum.
American negotiators have held separate talks with Ukraine and Russia after President Trump proposed a plan to end the war that many see as favouring Russia. In response, Ukraine and its European allies have pushed to reshape the proposal to better reflect Kyiv’s interests.