Moscow: On a day when Russia confirmed Vladimir Putin’s visit to India, Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Russian President will die soon, which will bring an end to the three-year war in Ukraine.
Zelensky made these remarks during an interview with European journalists on in Paris, according to The Kyiv Independent.
Though there have been persistent rumours about Putin’s falling health over the last couple of years, there has been no statement or confirmation from Kremlin as the Russian President has been carrying out his official duties without any alarm.
Zelensky’s statement is a bold one, coming as it does a day after Russia and Ukraine agreed to implement a US-mediated partial ceasefire on energy infrastructure attacks and hostilities in the Black Sea.
Zelensky said Putin hopes to remain in power “until his death”, and his ambitions are “not limited to Ukraine”.
Stating that Putin’s plans, stemming from his fears about the European-American alliance, could lead to a “direct confrontation with the West”, Zelensky urged the US and Europe to remain united in pressuring the Russian President.
Zelensky claimed that Putin also fears his own mortality.
“He will die soon, that is a fact, and everything will be over,” Zelensky said.
“It is very important that America does not help Putin to get out of this global isolation now. I believe that this is dangerous. This is one of the most dangerous moments,” Zelensky said.
Russia, which invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, currently controls about 113,000 sq km, or about 20% of Ukraine. Fighting is continuing along a 1,000 km frontline.
