Ukraine’s Zelensky calls for fair peace with no ‘rewards’ for Putin

KYIV - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on April 29 for a “fair” end to the war with Russia without “rewards” for Mr Vladimir Putin, pushing back against demands for Kyiv to make territorial concessions.

“We all want this war to end in a fair way – with no rewards for Putin, especially no land,” Mr Zelensky said via video conference at a summit organised by Poland.

The comment came amid reports the US suggested freezing the front line and

accept Russian control

of the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized in 2014, something Mr Zelensky baulks at.

But US President Donald Trump said on April 28 he believed Mr Zelensky might concede the Black Sea peninsula as part of a settlement.

Russia has also repeatedly demanded to keep the territory in southern and eastern Ukraine that it occupies and for Kyiv to cede even more land.

Moscow holds about 20 per cent of Ukraine’s territory after launching its grinding assault that has killed thousands of people.

Washington has said that this week will be “critical” for peace efforts.

Mr Zelensky later on April 29 once again called for a full and unconditional ceasefire, which must be the first step before any negotiations.

“They must take clear steps to end the war, and we insist that an unconditional and complete ceasefire must be the first step,” he said in an evening address.

Mr Putin on April 28 ordered

a surprise three-day ceasefire from May 8 to 10

, which coincides with Moscow’s World War II commemorations, drawing ire from Kyiv, which demanded Moscow pause hostilities immediately.

“Right now, they are worried that their parade is in jeopardy, and rightly so, but they should be worried that this war is still going on,” Mr Zelensky said in his evening address.

Russia will mark on May 9 the 80th anniversary of its Victory Day in 2025 for what is known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War with massive parades in Moscow and cities across the country. AFP