Zelenskyy aims for just peace, war's end in 2025: Ukrainian FM

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy aims to end the war with Russia and reach a just peace in 2025, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said.

Speaking at the “Ukraine: Year 2025” forum on Sunday, Sybiha highlighted that despite entering the third year of Russia’s full-scale war, Ukraine sees a real opportunity to secure peace.

“We are convinced that in this third year of brutal Russian aggression, we truly have a chance. We are telling many partners that perhaps now is the time to fasten diplomatic seat belts. We must not give in to emotions,” he said, according to Ukrainian broadcaster Freedom.

Sybiha emphasised the diplomatic corps' complete mobilisation to achieve Zelenskyy’s goal of ending the war in 2025.

"Our entire diplomatic service is focused on achieving a just peace and ending this war this year, as the President of Ukraine sets the task," he noted.

He also stressed Ukraine’s commitment to strengthening its global position, saying: "We remain at the epicenter of global geopolitical events."

"The outcome of this war will, without exaggeration, determine the safety and daily lives of every European and transatlantic family," Sybiha said.

The foreign minister reiterated that Ukraine’s security is inseparable from that of Europe and the US.

"We operate from the paradigm that the security of Ukraine, Europe, and the United States is indivisible," he added.

Military matters

North Korea is providing 50 percent of Russia's ammunition needs at the front in its war against Ukraine, Kiev's military spy chief Kyrylo Budanov told a press conference on Sunday.

Budanov said Pyongyang had also begun large scale supplies of 170-mm self-propelled howitzers and 240-mm multiple rocket launch systems to Russia.

Kremlin hails Putin-Trump dialogue as promising

The Kremlin on Sunday hailed dialogue between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin –– two "extraordinary" presidents –– as "promising", and vowed it would "never" give up territory seized in eastern Ukraine.

"This is a dialogue between two extraordinary presidents," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state TV on Sunday.

"That's promising," he added.

"It is important that nothing prevents us from realising the political will of the two heads of state."

Peskov on Sunday ruled out any territorial concessions as part of a settlement.

"The people decided to join Russia a long time ago," he said, referring to Moscow-staged votes in eastern Ukraine held amid the offensive that were slammed as bogus by Kiev, the West and international monitors.

"No one will ever sell off these territories. That's the most important thing."

'Inappropriate remarks'

Amid his outreach to Moscow, Trump has also verbally attacked Ukraine's leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy –– claiming Kiev started the war and that Zelenskyy was hugely unpopular at home.

The bitter war of words has threatened to undermine Western support for Kiev at a critical juncture in the conflict.

Zelenskyy on Sunday called for the Western coalition that has been helping Kiev fend off the Russian offensive for the last three years to hold strong.

"We must do our best to achieve a lasting and just peace for Ukraine. This is possible with the unity of all partners: we need the strength of the whole of Europe, the strength of America, the strength of all those who want lasting peace," Zelenskyy said on Telegram.

Moscow has revelled in the spat between Trump and Zelenskyy.

"Zelenskyy makes inappropriate remarks addressed to the head of state. He does it repeatedly," Peskov said Sunday.

"No president would tolerate that kind of treatment. So his (Trump's) reaction is completely quite understandable."

Scrambling to respond to Trump's dramatic policy reversal, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will travel to Washington next week to make the case for supporting Ukraine.