Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky penned an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin calling on him to end the four-year long war with face-to-face talks, noting that Russians had become tired of war, with Ukrainian drone and missile attacks, petrol shortages and rising prices.
Zelensky stated that “after 26 years in power, age is beginning to take its toll” on Putin.
“(You) will have to fight much harder for your own existence – not Russia’s, but your own. And this is not a threat from me or from Ukraine. It is a fact of Russian history that you know well: when Russia grows tired, change comes.”
Zelensky acknowledged that negotiations led by the US were abandoned with Donald Trump’s full attention on a war in Iran. Putin suggested that the EU could convince Ukraine to surrender territory with Trump preoccupied with Iran.
Trump had boasted he would end the Ukraine/Russia war within 24 hours when he was re-elected.
Meanwhile, the House passed legislation on Thursday that would provide new aid to Ukraine, and impose sanctions on Russia — with 18 Republicans joining with Democrats in a 226-195 vote.
The Ukraine Support Act circumvented GOP leadership which had tried to block a vote on the legislation.
The bill would authorize $8 billion in loans to Ukraine and NATO allies, along with more than $1 billion in other funds for Ukraine, Baltic security and Radio Free Europe.
The bill would next have to pass the Senate, likely an uphill climb, and then be signed by Trump. So…. not likely at all.