A resident runs for shelter amid Russian attacks on Kyiv, Ukraine (Sergei Supinsky)
EA-Times Radio VideoCast: Russia’s “Great Failure” in Ukraine Leaves Putin Playing For Time
Amid an indefinite suspension of Ukraine-Russia-US talks to end Moscow’s invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has emphasized, “The Russians are not preparing for peace.”
Zelensky confirmed over the weekend that the fourth round of talks has been postponed. He said the Trump camp will not allow negotiators to leave the US because of the US-Israel War on Iran. However, Russia has objected to any talks in the US and proposed alternative sites in Switzerland or Turkey.
The Russians fired 68 missiles and around 400 drones early Sunday. They launched 211 drones early Monday, killing three civilians.
In his nightly address to the nation, Zelensky said:
We must ensure complete protection – and that is exactly what we are doing. Meanwhile, we are not postponing negotiations; no one is disappointed in diplomacy. This is not a matter of emotions, as some might say. It is a matter of what partners are ready for.
Russia operates in a very simple way: if they are afraid, they’re willing to toe the line. If pressure on Russia is weakened, Russia thinks it has struck gold and can continue the war. That is why pressure on the aggressor is the key to peace, real diplomacy, and real agreements.
The President said he had given new instructions to Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s lead negotiator, who is “in constant communication with the American side, 24/7”.
The Russians are not preparing for peace. We must ensure complete protection – and that is exactly what we are doing. Meanwhile, we are not postponing negotiations; no one is disappointed in diplomacy. This is not a matter of emotions, as some might say. It is a matter of what… pic.twitter.com/5HvUrDgzhW
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 16, 2026
