Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Kyiv will strive to ensure that the war with Russia ends in 2025 through diplomatic means. This announcement comes as G7 leaders reaffirm their long-term support for Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict. In a recent radio interview, Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of diplomatic efforts to resolve the war.
Zelenskyy also mentioned that the re-election of Donald Trump as U.S. president could potentially expedite the end of the war. Trump has expressed a desire to end the conflict immediately and Vice President-elect JD Vance has suggested a Trump administration might allow Russia to retain the Ukrainian territories it has seized. However, Zelenskyy noted that his conversation with Trump did not reveal any positions contrary to Ukraine’s interests.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated that Moscow will only agree to a settlement if Ukraine surrenders the territories it has lost during the war. Additionally, Putin insists that any agreement must address the “root causes” of the conflict, which he attributes to NATO expansion.
The G7, which includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the U.S., declared its continued support for Kyiv as the conflict approaches its thousandth day. The group stressed its commitment to imposing severe sanctions and other measures against Russia to pressure Moscow into seeking a just and lasting peace.
As Trump prepares for his inauguration in January, Ukraine is urgently seeking additional Western weapons and financial support, given Trump’s critical stance on U.S. spending for Ukraine. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden’s outgoing administration has promised to bolster its support for Kyiv in its remaining tenure.
On the ground, Zelenskyy acknowledged the challenging situation in eastern Ukraine, where Russian forces are making significant advances. Russian troops are closing in on Kurakhove, a key location with a thermal power plant, and are progressing towards Pokrovsk, a crucial logistical hub for Ukraine. Russia’s advances in eastern Ukraine are reportedly at their fastest pace since the early days of the war in 2022.
Complicating the situation, North Korea has sent thousands of soldiers to Russia’s Kursk region to assist Moscow in countering a Ukrainian incursion that began in August. The Russian Ministry of Defence reported the downing of 15 drones in Kursk and multiple other attacking aircraft in various regions, indicating ongoing intense military activity.
