LONDON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed on Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is getting ready for “new offensive operations” regardless of Friday’s looming peace summit in Alaska.
Fierce frontline combat and long-range drone and missile strikes are ongoing because the U.S. and Russia put together for Friday’s assembly. Ukrainian representatives aren’t anticipated to attend, although a supply in Zelenskyy’s workplace advised ABC Information on Monday that “every thing could be very fluid.”
Zelenskyy and his officers have gone on a diplomatic offensive forward of the assembly, searching for to shore up international assist behind Ukraine’s key calls for in any peace deal.
On Monday, Zelenskyy advised that Putin will not be prepared to finish the combating, regardless of Friday’s assembly in Alaska.
Citing a report from his intelligence and army instructions, Zelenskyy mentioned in a press release that Putin “is certainly not getting ready for a ceasefire or an finish to the struggle. Putin is decided solely to current a gathering with America as his private victory after which proceed performing precisely as earlier than, making use of the identical strain on Ukraine as earlier than.”
Ukrainian Presidential Press Service on June 27, 2024, by which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky seems on throughout a signature ceremony of Settlement on Safety Cooperation and Lengthy-term Assist between Ukraine and Estonia through the European Council Summit on the EU headquarters in Brussels, Donald Trump wanting on throughout a gathering with France’s President on the Elysee Palace in Paris, on December 7, 2024, and Russian President Vladimir Putin as he provides a speech throughout an occasion to mark the 1160th anniversary of Russia’s statehood in Veliky Novgorod on September 21, 2022.
Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/POOL/Sputnik/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
“To this point, there isn’t a indication in any respect that the Russians have acquired indicators to arrange for a post-war scenario,” he added. “Quite the opposite, they’re redeploying their troops and forces in ways in which counsel preparations for brand new offensive operations.”
“If somebody is getting ready for peace, this isn’t what he does,” Zelenskyy mentioned.
Zelenskyy has mentioned Kyiv is not going to cede any territory to Russia, is not going to abandon its NATO ambitions and won’t enable any limitations on its armed forces.
Amongst Moscow’s calls for are that Ukraine cede a number of areas — not all of that are managed by Russian troops — within the south and east of the nation, settle for curbs on the scale and class of its army and be completely excluded from NATO. Putin additionally desires all worldwide sanctions on Russia to be lifted within the occasion of a peace deal.
Russia’s calls for, Zelenskyy has mentioned, represent an try and “partition Ukraine.”
President Donald Trump on Monday described the approaching summit as a “really feel out assembly,” telling reporters, “I am moving into to talk to Vladimir, and I will be telling him, ‘You bought to finish this struggle. You bought to finish it’.”
“And on the finish of that assembly, in all probability within the first two minutes, I will know precisely whether or not or not a deal may be made,” Trump mentioned.
When requested how he would know if a deal is feasible, the president replied, “As a result of that is what I do. I make offers.”
A Ukrainian sapper detonates an explosive system throughout a coaching session in Kharkiv area, Ukraine, on August 9, 2025.
Sofiia Gatilova/Reuters
ABC Information’ Ellie Kaufman, Oleksiy Pshemyskyi, Kelsey Walsh and Michelle Stoddart contributed to this report.
