Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin "will die soon," believing it will bring an end to the ongoing war between their countries, according to The Kyiv Independent. Zelensky made these remarks during an interview with European journalists on March 26 in Paris, amid persistent rumours about Putin's health. The statement is a bold one, given the ongoing conflict and the sensitivity surrounding the health of world leaders.
As per the new portal, his comments come a day after Russia and Ukraine agreed to implement a US-brokered partial ceasefire on energy infrastructure attacks and hostilities in the Black Sea. In exchange, the US agreed to expand Russia's access to global markets.
"It is very important that America does not help Putin to get out of this global isolation now," Zelensky said during a visit to Paris.
"I believe that this is dangerous. This is one of the most dangerous moments."
Putin hopes to "remain in power until his death", Zelensky said, and his ambitions are not limited to Ukraine but could lead to "a direct confrontation with the West".
Zelensky urged the US and Europe to remain united in pressuring Putin. The Russian leader fears the European-American alliance and hopes to divide it, Zelensky said.
Putin also fears his own mortality, he added.
"He will die soon, that is a fact, and everything will be over," Zelensky said.
Meanwhile, Zelenskiy expressed gratitude for US assistance in the war but said Washington had become "influenced" by Russian narratives of the conflict.
"We cannot agree with these narratives. We are fighting for ourselves, and we will fight against these narratives wherever they appear because there is simply no other way," he said.
"The only thing we can do is reveal more truth. We must demonstrate with our own examples that we are fighting on the battlefield."
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and now controls about 113,000 sq km, or about 20%, of Ukraine, with fighting along a 1,000 km (621 mile) frontline.
Russia has pounded Ukraine's power grid with missiles and drones, and Kyiv has launched long-range strikes on Russian oil and gas targets in attacks that have become a major aspect of the war to undermine each other's war efforts.
