Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared from the podium of the UN General Assembly that Russian President Vladimir Putin himself is the factor preventing the end of the war in Ukraine.
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Zelensky began his speech by referring to the losses of the Russian army, but then focused his criticism on the Russian leader.
Speaking about Putin, the Ukrainian president said that “something always prevents him from accepting that 17 million square kilometers of his territory, internationally recognized by all of you, should be enough for this man.”
He also stressed that “Putin is always looking for someone who can help him kill more people, seize more territory.”
“The more freedom Putin has to act, the more dangerous the world becomes for everyone else. Therefore, ‘patient zero’ must be stopped. He must be deprived of the space to act and the space to spread this evil,” Zelensky declared.
According to him, from January to August, the Russian army lost 248,964 people on the battlefield in Ukraine.
“We have videos confirming each of the Russian losses, and these are not just statistics,” the Ukrainian leader said, adding: “It is madness, and yet they keep going there to die, because that is what Putin wants.”
Zelensky said that, despite losing such a large number of people, Russia has managed this year to seize a little more than 1,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory.
“And we have already liberated a significant part of it,” he added.
The Ukrainian president also referred to North Korea’s help for Russia.
“Putin’s partner, the leader of North Korea, sent his troops to Russia to strengthen the weak points of the Russian army. The North Koreans also suffered losses. Perhaps you saw the broadcast from Pyongyang, when they honored those who lost their lives. And this is madness,” Zelensky said.
Speaking about the Russian president, Zelensky stated that Putin recently again promised representatives of the American president that he would seize the Donetsk region and that he needs a few more months.
“This is probably the 17th or 18th time in five years that he has made this promise,” he said.
Zelensky went on to state that Russia also has claims on neighboring Moldova, while according to him, it constantly threatens Poland and the Baltic states.
“Russia shows no respect for the statehood of the countries of the South Caucasus and Central Asia. And, unfortunately, people in Syria and throughout Africa know very well what kind of killers the Russians are,” concluded the Ukrainian president.
