President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a warning recently about the possibility of a ‘frozen conflict’ which could result in a resurgence of aggression from Vladimir Putin’s Russian army in Ukraine.
During an interview in Kyiv with ITV News, the Ukrainian president expressed that any effort to halt the ongoing war without concrete security assurances would only embolden Putin to come back and seize control of the remaining parts of Ukraine.
In his first significant interview with a British television channel since Donald Trump’s presidency, Zelensky emphasized that the future of Ukraine cannot be determined without the consent and involvement of the Ukrainian people.
‘A frozen conflict will lead to Putin coming back again with his aggression. Who will then be receiving prizes? Who will then make history as a winner? No one,’ the president said.
‘That will be a loss to absolutely everyone – and it is very important for us as well as for Trump. He needs to not just finish the war, he needs to make sure that Putin has no chance of coming back with a war against us.
‘I believe this is the most important part. Everyone must admit that. Then it will be a victory.’
It comes after footage emerged showing injured Russian troops hobbling into battle wearing protective gear and carrying crutches for support as it was revealed more than 1,000 of his men are killed every day.
Zelensky also addressed concerns over how a potential Trump presidency could impact support for Ukraine.
Joe Biden strongly backed Ukraine, but since taking office, Trump has indicated he could take a different approach – including taxes, tariffs, and sanctions on Russia to force an end to the war.
Yet, the Ukrainian president warned that any rift between Washington and Kyiv would only benefit the Kremlin.
‘If there is a confrontation, God forbid, between the Ukrainian stand and the American stand – I don’t even want to think about it – then Putin is the only one who wins from it,’ Zelensky said.
‘Putin’s victory is a loss for the Western world, both Europe and the United States. And he will never stop.
‘However long [Putin] lives, he will be living in the Kremlin. However long he lives, he will be taking lives away. He will carry on fighting the war.’
Zelensky defended Ukraine’s growing number of cross-border attacks into Russian territory, including operations in the Kursk region.
Russia’s casualty rate in January alone is believed to have hit a staggering 48,000 dead, wounded, or missing, making it the second bloodiest month of the war since Putin’s full-scale invasion nearly three years ago.
Meanwhile, North Korean forces sent to support Russia’s war effort are also taking heavy losses, according to the latest battlefield reports.
Ukraine’s military has slowed the Russian advance, with reports suggesting Putin’s invaders only managed to gain around 120 miles of territory in January – significantly less than in December.
At the same time, Kyiv has ramped up its long-range attacks inside Russia, striking military targets hundreds of miles behind enemy lines in an effort to weaken Putin’s war machine.
The brutal conflict has already left 837,000 Russian soldiers dead or wounded, with reports emerging of crippled troops being patched up and sent straight back to the front lines on crutches due to Moscow’s desperate shortage of fighters.
Ukraine still holds territory inside Russia, particularly in Kursk and western Belgorod, while North Korean troops deployed to assist Russia are reportedly being wiped out in fierce battles.
A Western official said: ‘We believe the Ukrainian figures on Russian losses are credible. The Russians are recycling wounded troops back into battle, often on crutches, as they continue to take massive casualties.’
Meanwhile, a British volunteer soldier is feared to have been killed in Donbas, Ukraine.
Christopher Walker, 39, a former Royal Artillery member, went missing after joining the fight in 2023. His family and friends are still awaiting official confirmation of his fate.
On Thursday, Zelensky awarded medals to Ukrainian soldiers and acknowledged that holding Russian land – even in small amounts – could prove a valuable asset in any future negotiations.
‘The aggressor and criminal can and should be fought in their own home. The occupier can and should be confronted on their own territory.’
Despite the uncertainty surrounding America’s political future, Zelensky expressed his gratitude for the continued backing of the UK, EU, and US.
‘We have such friends today in the world because of the people. If we lose that support, we lose everything,’ he said.
‘We need more security guarantees from our partners. But for today, the greatest security guarantee is that we have the support of the people – and I am proud that we have such relations.’
