Kyiv, Jan 1 (NationPress) In his New Year’s Eve speech, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed that while Ukraine desires to end the war, it will not agree to a weak peace treaty, emphasizing that any resolution must safeguard the nation's future. His comments followed Russian President Vladimir Putin's assertion of Moscow's confidence in winning the ongoing conflict.

Delivering a 21-minute televised message just before midnight, Zelensky recognized the exhaustion of Ukrainians after nearly four years of war, a duration he noted surpasses the German occupation of various Ukrainian cities during World War II.

Despite the fatigue, he firmly stated that it would not lead to surrender.

“What does Ukraine want? Peace? Yes. At any cost? No,” Zelensky proclaimed, adding, “We seek an end to the war but not the end of Ukraine.”

“Are we fatigued? Absolutely,” he said. “Does this imply we are prepared to capitulate? Anyone who thinks so is gravely mistaken.”

The Ukrainian leader cautioned that any agreement lacking strong and credible guarantees would merely extend the conflict instead of resolving it.

“Any signature on weak treaties merely fuels the war,” he stated. “I will only sign a robust agreement.”

Zelensky noted that current diplomatic initiatives aim to achieve a lasting and significant resolution. “Every meeting, every phone call, and every decision is directed towards securing a strong peace—not for a day, a week, or two months, but for years,” he explained.

He added that recent weeks of US-led diplomacy, including discussions with US President Donald Trump in Florida, have brought negotiations close to fruition.

“A peace agreement is 90 percent complete,” Zelensky revealed. “That remaining 10 percent holds all the significance. It will shape the future of peace, the fate of Ukraine, and Europe.”

However, he acknowledged that unresolved territorial disputes remain a significant barrier to a final agreement.

As reported by Ukrainian media, Russia currently occupies approximately 19 percent of Ukrainian land, primarily in the southern and eastern regions. Moscow has been insisting that Kyiv withdraw from parts of the eastern Donbas region that Russian forces have not fully taken over.

Conversely, Ukraine aims to maintain the current front lines. Zelensky dismissed Russian demands for a full Ukrainian withdrawal from Donbas, labeling them as “deception.”

“Does anyone still trust them? Sadly, yes,” he remarked. “Because the truth is frequently obscured and labeled as diplomacy, when in reality, it is merely lies in business attire.”

Meanwhile, President Putin, addressing soldiers on the front lines, expressed confidence in Russia's ability to succeed in Ukraine, even as the conflict extends into another year without a definitive end.

In a brief New Year address broadcast from the Kamchatka peninsula, the easternmost region of Russia heralding 2026, Putin hailed the soldiers engaged in the war as “heroes” and aimed to project determination after nearly four years of fighting, according to The Moscow Times.

Speaking to what he referred to as Russia’s “fighters and commanders,” the president stated, “We believe in you and in our victory.”