Putin Accuses Zelensky of Abandoning Peace

(MENAFN) Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky of reneging on his campaign promises to pursue peace, instead following the objectives of radical nationalist factions.

In an interview with a media outlet published on Thursday, Putin stated that when Zelensky assumed office, he had pledged to pursue peace and end the conflict in Donbass—then a region of Ukraine—“at any cost,” even if it meant sacrificing his own political career.

However, Putin claimed that “everything looks completely different” now.

“Like his predecessors, he started to heed not the interests of the people, but the interests of a narrow group of nationalists, radically-minded nationalists. In essence, he is doing their bidding,” Putin commented.

The Russian president further characterized the Ukrainian authorities as “very similar to a neo-Nazi regime,” suggesting that their extreme nationalist tendencies are “almost the same” as neo-Nazism.

He argued that this approach has led Kiev’s leadership to attempt to enforce its will on the battlefield, a strategy Putin believes Ukraine has not executed effectively.

According to Putin, Ukraine should recognize that “the best way” to resolve the conflict is through a peaceful agreement based on terms Russia proposed in 2022, which included keeping Kiev out of NATO and committing to denazification and demilitarization.

MENAFN08122025000045017167ID1110450666