“It is true that Russia wants war, but Russia cannot stop the course of history,” Zelensky said.
The remarks were an implicit rebuke to non-Western and developing countries, who called on Ukraine and Russia to immediately negotiate an end to the conflict.
“Russia will be forced to end this war, the war it has started,” Zelensky said. “I rule out that the settlement could have happened on a different basis.”
This week, dozens of non-aligned nations took a neutral stance on the conflict — a stance Zelensky said was only meant to “protect their vested interests.”
The remarks won a rare standing ovation from world leaders at the UN General Assembly, who had earlier voted to allow Zelensky to address the body remotely by a vote of 101-7 — a move that other world leaders have received. deprived of privileges. After Zelensky’s speech, the Russian delegation continued to sit down with delegations from Namibia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries.
Zelensky accused the seven countries that voted against his request, saying they were “terrified of video addresses.”
As part of his plan, Zelensky said a special court should be created to punish Russia. He also said the Kremlin should lose its veto power as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Zelensky said the entire international community, except Russia, wants peace.
“Ukraine wants peace, Europe wants peace, the world wants peace, and we’ve seen who is the only one who wants war,” he said, without mentioning Russian President Vladimir Putin by name. “Of all the UN member states, there’s only one entity right now that will say if he can interrupt me, he’s happy with this war, he’s happy with his war.”
Zelensky said Ukraine would regain its territory, but that would take time and require military force. He again asked countries to provide Ukraine with military aid to repel Russia’s well-equipped army.
“We can return the Ukrainian flag to our entire territory. We can do it with force, but we need time,” he said.
The speech came as Putin appeared poised to escalate the conflict, announcing a referendum on joining Russia in four occupied regions of Ukraine — an apparent precursor to annexation. Putin also announced a partial mobilization order calling for some 300,000 reservists to join the war.