Addressing the UN General Assembly meeting of world leaders, Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was not serious about ending the seven-month war in Ukraine, while insisting that his country would repel Russia’s attack and will drive out his soldiers.
Zelensky’s speech at the UNGA came hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced His country would mobilize the reservoir, the first such announcement since World War II. Reports indicate that 300,000 reservists could be employed as Ukraine gains momentum in the war, capturing territory in weeks that the Russians took months to take. A day earlier, Moscow also announced referendums on eastern and southern Ukraine to become part of Russia.
Although the Ukrainian leader did not discuss these two developments in detail, he suggested that any talks by Russia were merely a tactic of delay and that Moscow’s action speaks louder than its words.
“They talk about talks but announce military mobilization. They talk about talks but announce proxy referendums in Ukrainian occupied territories,” he said.
Zelensky also vowed to regain lost territory, saying, “We can return the Ukrainian flag to our entire territory. We can do it by force of arms.”
Zelensky also demanded that Russia receive “appropriate punishments” from a special UN tribunal for its invasion of Ukraine, including monetary fines and the loss of Moscow’s veto power in the Security Council.
“A crime has been committed against Ukraine, and we demand an appropriate punishment,” he said.
“A special tribunal should be created to punish Russia for the crime of aggression against our state… Russia should pay for this war with its assets,” the President of Ukraine said.
Notably, President Zelensky, who was addressing a gathering of world leaders for the first time since Russia’s invasion, did not deliver his speech on the August stage, where other presidents, prime ministers and monarchs speak, but instead gave them. Special permission was given not to come in person. ,
The Ukrainian President’s address was one of the most anticipated speeches at the UNGA and Zelensky delivered the speech wearing his iconic olive green T-shirt and sat at a table with a Ukrainian flag to his right and a large image of the United Nations flag on his right. .
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