Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin. Photo: Profimedia. Collage: Ion Mateș / Hotnews
Russian President Vladimir Putin, 73 years old, is no longer young, noted Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday in an interview with Politico on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
“He doesn't have much time left,” joked the Ukrainian president.
“God bless him so that he doesn't have much time,” Zelenskiy said.
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The 3 elements that can end the war
Zelensky also said in the same interview that he sees three elements necessary to end Russia's war in Ukraine: strong security guarantees, a reconstruction agreement to help Ukraine after the conflict, and even more direct pressure on Russia.
He added that US President Donald Trump might even push for “total sanctions” against Russia, including on nuclear energy and even Russians in the West.
“Call Putin and tell him: 'Look, you have to stop where you are now,'” the Ukrainian president said.
“We need to freeze the conflict now. Then we will meet in a trilateral at the level of leaders. And we will find a solution to end this war. But we will do it only diplomatically,” Zelenskiy added.
Trump “can impose [sancțiuni] on all their energy, on nuclear energy. It can convey this message to Europeans. The Europeans have done a lot, but they have not imposed sanctions on the Russians' nuclear energy from Rosatom, on people, on their relatives, on their children, who live in Europe, who live in the United States, who study in European universities, who have real estate in the United States… They have children, relatives everywhere,” Zelensky also stated, also quoted by The Guardian.
The Kiev leader also said they should “return home” to Russia because they do not respect the United States or Europe.
Asked what he hopes to see next year at this time, Zelenskiy said: “I hope that we will have peace, that all our people will return to a normal life, and I hope that I will have some time for my children.”
But then he joked again, saying he wasn't sure if his kids would want the same thing about that last point.
