Wed Sep 25 09:57:00 UTC 2024: ## Russia Condemns Zelensky’s “Fatal Mistake” of Forcing Peace in Ukraine
**NEW YORK/MOSCOW** – Following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s address to the UN Security Council on Tuesday, where he declared that Russia must be forced into peace, the Kremlin has responded with strong criticism, calling Zelensky’s approach a “fatal mistake”.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia’s position on peace is predicated on ensuring its security interests, implying that Kyiv must concede on key demands like dropping NATO ambitions and ceding four regions claimed by Moscow.
Peskov asserted that “forcing Russia into peace is absolutely impossible” and that Zelensky’s stance will inevitably have negative consequences for the Ukrainian regime. He reiterated Russia’s desire for peace, but only on its own terms.
Zelensky, meanwhile, had emphasized that talks alone were insufficient to end the conflict and that Moscow’s aggression necessitates decisive action to bring peace. He, along with Ukraine’s Western allies, maintain that Russia’s ambitions must be thwarted to prevent further aggression against neighboring countries.
This exchange underscores the deep divide between the two sides and the ongoing stalemate in peace negotiations. While Russia continues to frame the conflict as a fight for its national security, Ukraine and its allies firmly believe that Moscow’s territorial claims and military actions threaten international peace and order.
First Piper 