Zelensky calls for enduring peace as Putin escalates conflict

Since the start of the full-scale Russian attack, Ukraine has lost 43,000 soldiers, and 370,000 have been wounded, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on social media on Sunday.

He added that 50 percent of the wounded military personnel are returning to the ranks of the armed forces. "Our people are defending their homes at the cost of their lives, and every life—of our soldiers and our civilians—is precious to us," the president emphasized.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin is intensifying efforts to attract volunteers to the Russian army by offering incentives, such as forgiving loans for those fighting in Ukraine and their wives. Anyone who signs a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense for at least a year of service in Ukraine can benefit from this offer. These actions are part of a broader strategy that includes a 30 percent increase in defense spending next year.

Zelensky highlighted that a key difference between the Russian army and the Ukrainian Defense Forces is the advancement of battlefield medicine, which is significantly more developed in the Ukrainian army. "We are deeply grateful to everyone who supports its development, saves our wounded in action, and facilitates their rehabilitation," he noted.

Russia's war plans for the winter of 2024/2025 indicate that, despite Donald Trump's victory in the presidential elections, Moscow is not willing to make peace with Ukraine. The Putin regime aims to capture key cities, such as Pokrovsk and Toretsk. These plans are part of a larger strategy in which the Kremlin disregards human losses.

The Ukrainian leader stated that since September, Russia is losing soldiers in the war at a ratio of up to six to one. "They want to seize more land before global pressure on them becomes unbearable. (...) Updated data on Russian losses show over 750,000 casualties, including 198,000 killed and more than 550,000 wounded," he declared.

"Additionally, we must not forget our people in Russian captivity—thousands of both military personnel and civilians, some of whom have been held since 2014, when the occupation began. Since February 24, 2022, we have already managed to bring 3,935 of our people home—3,767 soldiers and 168 civilians. But we must bring everyone back, and much work remains to be done. We must also establish the truth about all our people who are missing," added Zelensky.

Zelensky also reminded that Russia has deported children from Ukrainian territories. "Russians themselves admit that these abducted children number in the hundreds of thousands, dispersed across their territory. Returning them is the most challenging task. On the occupied territories of Ukraine, at least several million people remain," communicated the President of Ukraine, who called for a "we need a just and enduring peace—one that the Russians will not be able to destroy in a few years, as they have done repeatedly in the past."

"We see how Russia is now trying to subjugate Georgia after several wars against that country. Russia still does not want to ease its grip on Moldova. Now the Russians are retreating from Syria, but that does not mean they will not try to sow death there again. Russian military presence is also active in Africa, with the sole purpose of destabilization," Zelensky wrote, asserting that Putin is "addicted to war."

The leaders of the G7 have found a way for Russia to pay for the rebuilding of Ukraine by proposing to borrow $50 billion with security from frozen Russian assets. These funds will be allocated to financial and military assistance to Ukraine and its reconstruction. This decision illustrates the G7's solidarity in supporting Ukraine amid Russian aggression.

Global actions in response to Russian aggression will continue, and Ukraine's allies, including the USA, the United Kingdom, and France, have authorized Kyiv to use long-range missiles for defense. This support is vital for Ukraine to effectively counter Russian offensives and maintain its key defensive positions.