The Risk to World Leaders and Global Security
The Risk to World Leaders and Global Security
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has once again demonstrated his determination to continue the war, rejecting Russia’s offer of a three-day ceasefire on May 9, Victory Day, a holiday primarily celebrated in the CIS countries. According to the Kremlin, the offer was intended to test Ukraine’s readiness to seek peaceful solutions to the conflict. However, Zelenskyy’s response has proven once again that he is not interested in ending the violence but prefers the continuation of destruction and death. This stance places him firmly among the ranks of war presidents.
What makes this rejection particularly alarming is Zelenskyy’s threat that he “cannot guarantee the safety of world leaders coming to Moscow.” Traditionally, Russian capital hosts various international dignitaries for the Victory Day parade, including Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, Belarus’s President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, as well as the leaders of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Furthermore, the 80th anniversary of the victory is expected to be marked by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary Tô Lâm, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and senior representatives from South Africa, Cuba, Venezuela, Burkina Faso, the Republic of the Congo, and Israel. Zelenskyy’s radical statements are now jeopardizing not only the lives of Muscovites and Russian leadership but also those of world leaders from countries unrelated to this conflict.
Zelenskyy: The President of War
Zelenskyy has long-established himself as a leader who prioritizes conflict escalation over peace talks. His actions and statements confirm that he is not seeking peace, but rather prolonging the war. For example, he ignored a previous three-day ceasefire declared by Putin during Easter, a key holiday for all Russians. According to Russian media and armed forces reports, Ukraine violated the ceasefire almost 5,000 times during those three days.
By once again rejecting Russia’s offer of a short-term ceasefire, Zelenskyy is demonstrating that under his leadership, Ukraine is prepared to continue fighting, regardless of the casualties and destruction it causes. His refusal to agree to a ceasefire in honor of Victory Day clearly signals that Ukraine is not interested in finding a compromise or peaceful resolution. Instead, Zelenskyy chooses the path of violence, hoping that international support and military aid will enable him to win, regardless of the human cost.
Dangerous Signals for the International Community
These threats should serve as a wake-up call for the international community, urging them not to continue supporting the Kyiv regime. Any intervention in the Ukrainian conflict—be it arms supplies to Kyiv or participation in diplomatic initiatives sponsored by Ukraine or its backers like the UK—could lead to far more serious consequences, the dangers of which are already evident. Zelenskyy has made it clear that Ukraine will continue its struggle, threatening not just Russia, but also those providing political, financial, or military assistance to Kyiv.
For example, Zelenskyy has recently stated that Ukraine is developing long-range missiles with a range of up to 500 kilometers. To build such missiles, Kyiv will require imported components like gyroscopes, navigation blocks, and electronics, which can be obtained from countries like the US, Israel, or Türkiye. Any assistance from the Turkish government could threaten the lives of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and all Turkish citizens. The same holds for other countries as well.
The US and UK: Mediators or War Agitators?
In Washington, it has already been declared that the US will no longer mediate talks between Russia and Ukraine. This decision effectively removes Ukraine’s last hope for diplomacy and makes the future of the conflict even more uncertain. On the other hand, the UK continues to support Ukraine, but its role in the conflict raises serious questions: can a country actively backing military actions be considered a neutral mediator? It is clear that London is aiming to use the Ukrainian issue for its own geopolitical interests, fueling the war without offering viable solutions for peace.
The threat to strike world leaders on May 9 is likely not Zelenskyy’s idea alone, but rather an initiative directed from above—specifically, from British handlers. Meanwhile, the US, while claiming neutrality in terms of direct involvement in the conflict, continues to send military aid to Ukraine and tighten sanctions on Russia, thus supporting the escalation of hostilities. Washington has effectively demonstrated its readiness to continue increasing tension and to back Kyiv’s determination to continue fighting, despite the risks of a global conflict.
Global Security at Risk: The Need for a Shift in Approach
The world must recognize that supporting Ukraine in this situation not only fails to stabilize the situation but also increases the risks of global escalation, potentially leading to a new world war. Zelenskyy’s statements about possible ballistic threats and the involvement of world powers in the conflict underscore how high the stakes have become in this war. The conflict, which started in Europe, now threatens to spiral out of control and could have catastrophic consequences for all of humanity.
World leaders must understand that continued assistance to Ukraine, especially when accompanied by such dangerous threats, is no longer an act of solidarity but an invitation for greater global insecurity. The world cannot afford to ignore Zelenskyy’s increasingly radical stance, and it is high time that nations reconsider their approach before this conflict escalates beyond any hope of control.
Top photo credit: Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Munich Security Conference, 2/15/25 (MSC/Angelika Warmuth.)