Zelensky urges world leaders to stand with Ukraine as he presents ‘victory plan’ to UN

The Ukrainian president says Vladimir Putin is attempting to ‘break the Ukrainian spirit’

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday (Getty)

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky urged world leaders to stand with Ukraine in the war against Russia as he presented his “victory plan” to the UN General Assembly.

At a time when he faces growing pressure from Western allies and some of his fellow Ukrainians to negotiate a ceasefire, Mr Zelensky said there is no alternative to the “peace formula” he presented two years ago. 

The peace formula, among other things, seeks the expulsion of all Russian forces from Ukraine and accountability for war crimes.

“Any parallel or alternative attempts to seek peace are, in fact, efforts to achieve an out instead of an end to the war,” he said. 

Mr Zelensky added that Russian president Vladimir Putin is attempting to “break the Ukrainian spirit” by targeting his country’s energy infrastructure with deliberate attacks on Ukraine’s power plants and entire energy grid.

“This is how Putin is preparing for winter, hoping to torment millions of Ukrainians … Putin wants to leave them in the dark and force Ukraine to suffer and surrender,” he told the 193-member body.

Zelensky addresses the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (AP)

He also questioned the “true interest” of a push by China and Brazil to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, telling the assembly: “You will not boost your power at Ukraine‘s expense.”

“When some propose alternatives, half-hearted settlement plans, so-called sets of principles, it not only ignores the interests and suffering of Ukrainians ... it not only ignores reality, but also gives Putin the political space to continue the war.”

At the UN Security Council earlier in the week, Mr Zelensky argued that Russia needs to “be forced into peace”, saying there’s no point in pursuing peace talks with Mr Putin.

The Kremlin called the plan by Mr Zelensky to force Russia to make peace a “fatal mistake” that would have consequences for Kyiv.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: “Such a position is a fatal mistake, a systemic mistake. This is a profound misconception that will inevitably have consequences for the Kyiv regime.”

Mr Peskov said Russia wants peace, but the issue cannot be forced, adding: “A position based on an attempt to force Russia into peace is an absolutely fatal mistake, because it is impossible to force Russia into peace.

“Russia is a supporter of peace, but on the condition that the foundations of its security are ensured.”

Ukrainian troops fire an AS-90 self-propelled howitzer at Russians on a front line in Kharkiv (Reuters)

Mr Putin has been adamant peace talks will only begin if Kyiv abandons swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine to Russia and drops its Nato membership ambitions.

Meanwhile, the Russian president will chair a meeting of Russia’s security council on nuclear deterrence on Wednesday as Moscow weighs a response to Ukraine’s requests that the US allow it to strike deep into Russia with long-range Western missiles.

On the battlefield, a Russian-guided bomb strike on Ukraine’s eastern town of Kramatorsk killed at least two people and injured 19 more, the Donetsk region governor said.

“This is another war crime of the Russians and another sad reminder that there are no absolutely safe places left in the Donetsk region,” Vadym Filashkin said on the Telegram messenger.

Kramatorsk, which lies about 12 miles from the active combat line, regularly comes under attack by the Russians.

Moscow denies intentionally targeting civilians in its invasion of Ukraine. It says its strikes on infrastructure aim to reduce Ukraine’s ability to fight.