Of Putin, who launched the war in February 2022, Zelenskyy said: “He may see himself as a tsar, but in reality, he is a slave to war.”Russia and Ukraine will hold United States-brokered talks next week, and Zelenskyy said Kyiv was doing “everything” to end the war. Security guaranteesZelenskyy also met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the Munich conference. “With Russia, you cannot leave a single loophole Russians can use to start a war,” he said. Zelenskyy again argued that there would be more chance of ending the war if European countries had a seat at the negotiating table - something Russia has opposed. Returning to the question of elections in Ukraine, Zelenskyy said they would be held once Kyiv received security guarantees and a ceasefire had been agreed.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 15, 2026 09:15 UTC