The president of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenskystated on Tuesday that his country will continue to face the Russian invasion both on the “battlefield” and at the “negotiation table” during 2025.
In a message to the nation, Zelensky highlighted Ukraine’s commitment to working daily to strengthen the country and ensure it is “respected and heard.”
“Every day of the next year we will fight for a strong Ukraine. So that Ukraine is respected and heard. Both on the battlefield and at the negotiating table,” declared the president, emphasizing that the resolution of the conflict continues to be a priority for his government.
The context in which Ukraine enters 2025 is challenging. In 2024, the country lost seven times more territory to Russian forces compared to 2023according to an analysis by the agency AFPwhich represents a significant setback at the territorial level.
Furthermore, the international panorama poses uncertainty, especially with the political change in the government of USA. Zelensky expressed confidence that in the return of Donald Trump to the American presidency would not affect the objective of achieving peace.
“I have no doubt that the new American president is willing and able to achieve peace and end Putin’s aggression”, he noted.
On the other hand, the Russian president, Vladimir Putinavoided referring directly to the war in Ukraine during his New Year’s message, but praised Russian soldiers for their “courage”. This omission highlights the Kremlin’s strategy of carefully managing the public narrative about the conflict, which enters its third year.
He Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenskyaccused on Friday the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Ficoto open a “second energy front” against Ukraine by alleged orders of the russian president, Vladimir Putinwithin the framework of an increase in tensions over the transit of natural gas between both countries.
”It seems that Putin gave Fico the order to open the second energy front against Ukraine at the expense of the interests of the Slovak people”Zelensky stated in a publication on the social network X.
Furthermore, he criticized the threats of slovak prime minister to cut off emergency power supplies to Ukraine this winter, at a time when Russia continues to attack Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
The conflict intensified after Kiev announced its intention to stop, starting this Wednesday, January 1, the transit of Russian natural gas to Europa central through Ukraine, which could directly affect countries like Slovakia.
In response, Fico warned of possible retaliatory measures. “After the first day of January we will consider the situation and the possibilities of reciprocal measures against Ukraine”he declared in a video published on his official Facebook account.
Among these measures, Fico mentioned the possibility of suspending the emergency power supply that Slovakia provides Ukraine. The dispute adds a new dimension to the conflict between Ukraine y Russiawhich has severely affected Ukrainian energy infrastructure, and is raising concerns about the stability of energy supply in Europa central during the winter.
(With information from AFP, Reuters and EFE)
