Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Western leaders to strain Russia into peace utilizing “all means” obligatory.
Talking in Spain, Mr Zelensky stated there wanted to be “tangible coercion of Russia” , which was searching for to “destroy Ukraine and transfer on”.
Mr Zelensky has lengthy stated he won’t negotiate with Russia straight till Moscow’s forces depart all Ukrainian territory, together with Crimea.
His name, nonetheless, comes as Russia makes features in opposition to Ukraine, with Kyiv affected by a scarcity of Western-supplied weapons.
Russia, he stated, was dropping some 3,200 aerial bombs on Ukraine every month.
“How do you combat that?” Mr Zelensky requested reporters in Madrid the place he met Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
The Ukrainian president rejected the thought of inviting Russia to a deliberate peace summit in Switzerland subsequent month.
The summit is anticipated to incorporate representatives of greater than 90 nations.
Delegates will “attempt to chart a course for a simply and lasting peace in Ukraine” primarily based on 10 calls for set forth by Kyiv calling for the return of all invaded territory, reparation funds for war-related damages and the creation of a particular tribunal to prosecute Russian conflict crimes, a plan that Moscow has flatly rejected.
Russia publicly says it’s prepared for peace talks, offered territories already seized in Ukraine stay beneath its management.
In Madrid, Mr Zelensky urged Western leaders to carry bans on donated weapons getting used to strike Russian territory.
Most Western nations, together with the US, have insisted Kyiv focuses its assaults on Russian forces occupying Ukrainian territory.
“We have to work collectively and put strain not solely on Russia, but in addition on our companions to offer us the chance to defend ourselves in opposition to Russia,” the Ukrainian chief stated.
On Monday, Russia stated its forces had captured two extra villages in jap Ukraine, as a brand new summer time offensive continues to realize momentum.
Russian features within the north-east of the nation have been its most vital for 18 months, throughout which era its forces have been largely caught in intense combating within the Donbas area.
Mr Zelensky has warned that the features may mark the start of a broader offensive, saying on Sunday that Moscow was gathering “one other group of troops close to our border”, about 90km (56 miles) north-west of Kharkiv metropolis.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022.
