Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sounded another defiant note on his return to his nation's capital on Friday following his wartime visit to the United States, saying his forces are working toward victory even as Russia launched new strikes across the country.
Zelenskyy posted on his Telegram account that he is in his Kyiv office following his US trip that secured a new $1.8 billion military aid package, and pledged that “We'll overcome everything.”
Zelenksyy's return comes amid relentless Russian artillery, rocket and mortar fire as well as airstrikes on the eastern and southern fronts and elsewhere in Ukraine.
Moscow repeated that there would be no end to the war until its military objectives are achieved.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the war would end at the negotiating table once the special military operation achieves the goals that the Russian Federation has set, adding that a significant headway has been made on the demilitarisation of Ukraine.
However, Russia dismissed the visit and criticised the recent US aid to a war-wrecked country. Russian President Vladimir Putin said, “They say they may send Patriot there, fine, we will crack the Patriot too.” Putin added the deliveries will only extend the fighting. “Those who do it do so in vain, it only drags out the conflict,” he said.
Putin reaffirmed that Russia is ready for talks with Ukraine on ending the conflict. “One way or another, all armed conflicts end with talks,” Putin said. “The sooner this understanding comes to those who oppose us the better. We never rejected the talks,” he said.
(With PTI inputs)
