Ukrainian President Zelensky hopes the war with Russia will end by 2025
During a visit to Berlin to call for continued military support, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed hope on October 11 that the war with Russia would end next year.
According to AFP, in the context of Ukraine facing a difficult third winter in the war, Mr. Zelensky sought support from European capitals during a 2-day trip, with stops in London, Paris and Rome.
During a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Ukrainian President Zelensky, dressed in his usual military uniform, thanked Germany for its support and said, "it is very important for us that this assistance does not decrease next year."
He said he would present to Mr Scholz his plan to win the war, expressing hope that the conflict would end "by next year, 2025 at the latest".
"Ukraine, more than any other country in the world, wants to end this war fairly and quickly," Mr Zelensky said. "The war is destroying our country, taking the lives of our people."
For his part, Mr. Scholz pledged that Germany and its EU partners would send more defense equipment this year, and at the same time, provide 4 billion euros in aid to Ukraine by 2025, promising that, "we will not stop supporting Ukraine."
Chancellor Scholz said he and the Ukrainian leader agreed on the need to hold a peace conference that included Russia, but peace "can only be achieved on the basis of international law".
“We will not accept a peace imposed by Russia,” Mr. Scholz said.
Mr Zelensky then ended his trip with a meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Ukraine's leader is seeking fresh military and financial aid from European allies amid concerns support could wane if Donald Trump wins next month's US presidential election.
A meeting on Ukraine's defense scheduled for October 12 at the US Ramstein air base in western Germany has been postponed after US President Joe Biden canceled his visit to Germany due to Storm Milton.
Germany is the largest provider of military aid to Ukraine after the United States.
However, Mr. Scholz refused to send Germany's Taurus long-range missile system because of concerns about escalating tensions in the confrontation with nuclear-armed Russia.
