Ukraine urges world leaders not to seek a ‘lull’ in Russia’s war

UNITED NATIONS — Ukraine’s president urged global leaders Wednesday to stand with his country and not seek “a lull” instead of a “real, just peace” more than two years into Russia’s war.

At a time when he faces growing pressure from Western allies and some of his fellow Ukrainians to negotiate a cease-fire, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the U.N. General Assembly there’s no alternative to the peace formula he presented two years ago. It seeks the expulsion of all Russian forces from Ukraine, accountability for war crimes, release of prisoners of war and deportees, nuclear safety, energy and food security and more.

“Any parallel or alternative attempts to seek peace are, in fact, efforts to achieve a lull instead of an end to the war,” Zelenskyy said, urging nations to “put pressure on” Russia.

“Do not divide the world. Be united nations,” he implored. “And that will bring us peace.”

Russia hasn’t yet had its turn to speak at the assembly’s annual gathering of presidents, prime ministers, monarchs and other high officials. Low-level Russian diplomats occupied the country’s seats in the huge assembly hall during Zelenskyy’s speech.

President Vladimir Putin is not attending this year’s high-level meetings at the General Assembly; Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is expected to give the nation’s address instead, on Saturday.

In Moscow on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov lambasted remarks that Zelenskyy made the day before, when the Ukrainian president told the U.N. Security Council that Russia needs to “ be forced into peace.” Dmitry Peskov called that position “a fatal mistake” and “a profound misconception, which, of course, will inevitably have consequences for the Kyiv regime.”