Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
“If we want to end the war, we need to tell Putin that he is wrong.”
Ukraine’s president is calling for stronger international intervention as the war with Russia continues. In a recent interview, he outlined what he sees as the responsibility of the world’s most powerful leaders.
Without coordinated pressure, he suggested, diplomatic efforts may fall short of ending the conflict.
Calls for action
In an interview with CNN President Volodymyr Zelensky said figures such as US President Donald Trump, China’s Xi Jinping and India’s Narendra Modi should directly urge Vladimir Putin to halt the war.
He argued that global leadership carries a duty to push for a diplomatic resolution, particularly in a conflict with wide-reaching consequences.
Zelensky questioned whether mediation attempts led by influential nations could succeed, saying Putin “does not feel guilty” about the invasion.
Doubts over dialogue
The Ukrainian leader expressed skepticism about negotiations built on compromise, warning they may not deliver meaningful results.
“If we want to end the war, we need to tell Putin that he is wrong. I am not sure that dialogues based on compromise work,” Zelensky said in the CNN interview.
He added that rhetoric alone would not change Moscow’s course, indicating that stronger measures may be required to shift the Kremlin’s stance.
Deterrence strategy
Zelensky also pointed to security measures as a way to prevent further escalation. He suggested that Russia is wary of increased foreign involvement in Ukraine.
The presence of international forces or representatives, he said, could influence Moscow’s calculations on the battlefield.
Zelensky also said that he believes deploying foreign peacekeepers along the front line could discourage future offensives or make renewed aggression riskier for Russian authorities.
He framed such steps as part of a broader effort to create conditions that would force an end to the conflict.
Sources: CNN, Dialog.ua, LA
