Zelenskyy says must ‘push Putin’ to stop strikes, halt invasion

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. File
| Photo Credit: AP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday (March 23, 2025) that Russian leader Vladimir Putin must be pushed to halt his three-year invasion, as talks with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia on a partial ceasefire got underway.

“No matter what we talk about with our partners, we need to push Putin to give a real order to stop the strikes: the one who brought this war must take it away,” Mr. Zelenskyy said in an evening address posted on social media.

A Ukrainian delegation was meeting with U.S. officials in Riyadh late on Sunday (March 23, 2025) with Washington saying the talks would focus on a possible ceasefire in the Black Sea.

Russian officials were due to meet Monday (March 24, 2025) with the Americans for a separate round of negotiations.

Mr. Putin has rejected a joint U.S.-Ukrainian offer of a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire, instead backing a halt only to aerial strikes against energy facilities.

Both sides have launched multiple massive aerial attacks this week ahead of the talks.

“It is clear to absolutely everyone in the world that Russia is the only one who is dragging this war out,” Mr. Zelenskyy said.

“Since 11 March, there has been a proposal for an unconditional ceasefire, and such attacks would have stopped by now. But it is Russia that continues all this. And every night, every day, it delivers the most cynical strikes possible,” he added.

“Without pressure on Russia, they will continue to despise real diplomacy in Moscow and continue to destroy lives,” he said.