Zelenskyy Pushes for Russia to End War by Winter

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pushing for a swift end to the war with Russia, ideally by winter. He believes a combination of Ukrainian drone strikes, international sanctions, and diplomatic efforts can leave Russia with "no other alternative but peace."

"We will work hard to make this happen before winter, in the autumn," Zelenskyy stated, though he also prepared for the possibility of another winter of conflict. He has directed Ukrainian diplomats to secure necessary technical assistance and weapons from foreign partners, emphasizing that "every ambassador must provide weapons for Ukraine."

Zelenskyy highlighted the joint development of the "Freyja" missile defense system with European partners as a significant international project. He accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of deliberately prolonging the war and planning a new wave of mobilization. Despite nearly four and a half years since the full-scale invasion, Zelenskyy sees no signs of the Kremlin abandoning its war aims.

Many observers anticipate another mobilization wave in Russia following parliamentary elections in mid-September. Earlier, in late June, Zelenskyy announced a 40-day intelligence operations phase aimed at pushing Russia toward peace. This period, which included significant attacks on logistics centers of the Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries, concludes on Tuesday, August 4.