Zelenskyy says Putin needs Ukraine to rebuild USSR, blocks war’s end

In an interview with ABC News, Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine is strategically crucial for Putin, as it is the largest country of the former USSR after Russia. "This is a strategic goal for him. It is very important for him, and he does not want to end the war," the president said.

Zelenskyy noted that weak signals from Ukraine's partners only fuel Putin's reluctance to stop the hostilities. "Especially if partners start giving weak, uncertain signals, weak pressure, trying to find compromise dialogues with him. He feels this, and so he doesn’t stop," Zelenskyy explained.

According to him, Putin does not want to end the war because, "In his mind, ending the war without Ukraine’s defeat would be a defeat for him."

Zelenskyy further added, "Believe me, we understand the mentality of Russians much better than the United States understands their mentality. We are neighbors. It's a long-standing neighborhood. It’s a different kind of neighborhood, including wars."

The Ukrainian president expressed his belief that Russia would only consider ending the war under strong international pressure. “And I know that Putin doesn’t want to end the war. And they will be pragmatic about it. Very pragmatic. If there is strong pressure on them, they will end the war. The question will be how long they will delay it,” Zelenskyy stated.

At the same time, he stressed the importance of reliable security guarantees for Ukraine once the war ends. "And then the second question, which I have also often discussed with President Trump: the issue of security guarantees. Because if security guarantees are weak, whether people like it or not, I’m just saying how it will be. We just know the Russians, and if the guarantees are strong, the peace will be long-lasting. If the guarantees are weak, it will be a pause," Zelenskyy concluded.

• President Zelenskyy called for stronger sanctions against Russia and urged to force it into negotiations after the attack on Kharkiv on June 7.