Zelenskyy accuses Russia of using excuses to continue its invasion of Ukraine
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine did not launch a drone attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that Ukraine had launched an attack on Putin's official residence in Russia's northwestern Novgorod region using 91 long-range unmanned drones. Foreign Minister Lavrov had claimed that all the attacks had been repelled. Zelensky called the claim false. 'This is a typical Russian lie,' he said. He said that Russia was making up such an excuse to continue its attack on Ukraine. He also accused Russia of ignoring the peace talks. 'The world cannot remain silent anymore. We cannot allow Russia to ignore the ongoing work for a lasting peace,' he said. He said that the ongoing discussions with the United States for peace talks would continue. The peace talks are in their final stages. Earlier on Sunday, Zelensky held three-hour talks with US President Donald Trump in Miami, Florida. After the meeting, Zelensky said that 90 percent of the terms of the peace plan had been agreed upon. However, talks are said to have stalled over territory, Ukraine's security guarantees and the future of the nuclear power plant. Trump has suggested that it would be appropriate to reach an agreement on territory before Russia attacks again.
Zelensky also said that the US has offered to provide security guarantees to Ukraine for 15 years. He made this statement after talks with Trump in Florida. Zelensky had demanded security guarantees for 50 years.
A large number of people have been killed and millions have fled their homes in the war that began in February 2022.
Last month, there was a long discussion on the 28-point preliminary draft of the peace agreement put forward by Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff. Russia was very positive about this draft.
But Ukraine and its European partners disagreed on some points. After that, Ukraine has put forward a 20-point plan after discussions with the US and European partners.
Ukrainian President Zelensky made this revised draft public on December 23. It mentions Ukraine's sovereignty, a security guarantee system for Ukraine on a par with NATO countries, the number of Ukrainian troops remaining the same (previously, the 28-point draft mentioned reducing the size of the army), Ukraine's membership in the European Union, the future of the nuclear power plant occupied by Russia, and other issues. Russia is not positive about this proposal put forward by Ukraine.
Putin had earlier accused Ukraine of being in no hurry to end the war. He had claimed that Russia would use military force to achieve its plan if Ukraine did not show interest in ending the war.
