Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that Russia can only be forced into peace, as he denounced Iran and North Korea as “accomplices” in the war.
Addressing a special UN Security Council session attended by a representative of Russia, Zelensky described Moscow as insincere in its calls for dialogue.
“We know some in the world want to talk to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin,” Zelensky said, “to possibly hear from him that he’s upset because we are exercising our right to defend our people.”
Zelensky, clad in his trademark military fatigues, called such views “insanity.”
“Russia can only be forced into peace, and that is exactly what’s needed — forcing Russia into peace,” he said.
Zelensky also criticized Iran and North Korea, which have been widely accused by Western intelligence of supplying weapons to Russia, with Iran recently said to have sent short-range missiles.
“Russia has no legitimate reason — none at all — for making Iran and North Korea de facto accomplices in its criminal war in Europe, with their weapons killing us, killing Ukrainians,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky will on Thursday head to Washington to meet with President Joe Biden at the White House.
The Ukrainian leader is expected to lay out for Biden what he describes as a victory plan, ahead of a U.S. election in which Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has cast doubt on continued U.S. support for Ukraine.
