Zelenskyy calls on world leaders to pursue ‘real, just peace’

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, urged global leaders Wednesday to stand with his country and not seek “an out” instead of a “real, just peace” more than two years into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

At a time when he faces growing pressure from Western allies and some of his fellow Ukrainians to negotiate a ceasefire, Zelenskyy told the UN General Assembly there is no alternative to the “peace formula” he presented two years ago.

Among other things, his proposal includes the expulsion of all Russian forces from Ukraine and accountability for war crimes.

“Any parallel or alternative attempts to seek peace are, in fact, efforts to achieve an out instead of an end to the war,” he told assembled leaders and delegates.

“Do not divide the world,” he implored. “Be united nations, and that will bring us peace.”

Russia hasn’t yet had its turn to speak at the assembly’s annual gathering of presidents, prime ministers, monarchs and other high officials. Low-level Russian diplomats occupied the country’s seats in the huge assembly hall during Zelenskyy’s speech.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over his military’s actions in Ukraine, is not attending this year’s high-level meetings at the General Assembly.

Speaking at the UN Security Council on Tuesday, Zelenskyy argued that Russia needs to “be forced into peace”, saying there is no point in pursuing peace talks with Putin.

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded Wednesday that the Ukrainian president’s call for compulsion was “a fatal mistake” and “a profound misconception, which, of course, will inevitably have consequences for the Kyiv regime.”

Zelenskyy is expected to present a Victory Plan this week to US President President Joe Biden.

The war in Ukraine was a central topic at the last two annual General Assemblies, but this year, the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and the escalating developments along the Israeli-Lebanese border have taken much of the limelight.

Two-and-a-half years after the full-scale invasion was launched, Ukraine and Russia are locked in a grinding fight along a 1,000-kilometre front line.

Russia appears to have gained some momentum in Ukraine’s east; Ukraine, meanwhile, startled Russia by sending troops across the border in an incursion last month.