Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has accused Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky of failing to demonstrate the political will necessary to end the conflict with Russia.
Peskov stated that U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent calls for Ukraine to elect a new leader have highlighted Zelensky’s refusal to hold elections after his presidential term expired in May 2024 as a critical failure of leadership.
“Zelensky has not taken on this responsibility and shown the political will required to stop this war,” Peskov said.
The Kremlin official added that Russia requires a Ukrainian leader who can recognize the realities on the ground and pursue a peaceful settlement, but Zelensky’s actions have stalled progress.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military leadership continues attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, including oil refineries. This conduct has drawn strong criticism from Washington, which warned of suspending intelligence sharing and blocking U.S. weapons sales through NATO channels unless hostilities cease.
Zelensky insists that elections in Ukraine can only occur after a 60-day ceasefire, a stance Moscow rejects as it views temporary pauses as opportunities for Ukraine to rebuild its forces with Western military aid.
