Zelenskiy tells G20 leaders Ukraine war ‘must and can be ended’ now

The time has come to bring the war in Ukraine to an end, Volodymyr Zelenskiy has told G20 leaders in a video address, but he added this was only possible if Russia affirmed the full territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Addressing world leaders in Bali in his now trademark green T-shirt, he said: “I am convinced now is the time when the Russian destructive war must and can be ended. It will save thousands of lives.”

Speaking in Ukrainian to the single most influential audience he has addressed since the war started, Zelenskiy tried to pitch himself as a man prepared to reach an agreement with Russia, but only on terms that protected Ukrainian sovereignty.

Speaking to China’s Xi Jinping and US president Joe Biden, but not to the Russian leader Vladimir Putin, he said: “There are and cannot be any excuses for nuclear blackmail”, and pointedly thanked the “G19” – excluding Russia – for “making this clear”. Zelenskiy accused Russia of trying to build a radioactive bomb at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant that could explode at any moment.

READ ALSO:

• Kentucky Supreme Court set to weigh statewide abortion bans
• Caution Your Spokesmen, Abdulsalami C’ttee Tells Presidential Candidates
• RTEAN decries extortions of members by Sanwo-Olu’s caretaker committee

The Ukrainian president also accused Russia – represented at the summit by its foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, rather than Putin – of trying to turn “the cold into a weapon” with a campaign of strikes against key infrastructure. “If Russia is trying to deprive Ukraine, Europe and all energy consumers in the world of predictability and price stability, the answer to this should be a forced limitation of export prices for Russia,” he said.

The Ukrainian leader also called for the expansion and indefinite extension of a grain deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey that will expire on Saturday.

Ukraine is one of the world’s top grain producers, and the Russian invasion had blocked 20m tonnes of grain in its ports until the deal was reached in July. Russia says the export deal has been only partially implemented.

“I believe our export grain initiative deserves an indefinite extension, no matter when the war ends,” Zelenskiy said, urging its expansion to other ports.

Speaking with the authority of a leader who had just recaptured Kherson, the single largest town occupied by Russia since the war started, he said that when all Russia’s warlike actions were brought to an end a negotiated document should be published setting out how how peace will be maintained. That agreement would have to contain effective measures to ensure the future security of Ukraine, he said.

The Ukrainian president said such an agreement could be signed at an international conference, adding that Russia would be required to hand over some of its assets as compensation for the task of rebuilding Ukraine.

He reiterated that peace was not possible until Russia had withdrawn all armed troops from Ukrainian territory, and had also reaffirmed the territorial integrity of Russia.