COMMENTARY
Zelensky’s Christmas Address Sparks Global Reaction as Ukrainian Leader Appears to Wish Putin’s Death, Condemns ‘Godless’ Russian Attacks and Unveils Major US-Backed Peace Plan
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has ignited widespread international debate following remarks in his annual Christmas address that were widely interpreted as a veiled wish for the death of Russian President Vladimir Putin, amid continued Russian bombardment of Ukraine and fragile peace efforts.
In a somber yet defiant message to Ukrainians, Mr Zelensky said: “Today we all share one dream. And we make one wish, for all of us: may he perish.”
The statement was broadly understood to be directed at the Russian leader, whose forces have continued to strike Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities despite ongoing peace talks.
Reinforcing his call for an end to the war, the Ukrainian president emphasized the country’s longing for peace and normalcy after years of conflict.
“We ask for peace for Ukraine. We fight for it. And we pray for it. And we deserve it. That every Ukrainian family may live in harmony,” he said.
He added an emotional appeal focused on Ukraine’s children, saying: “That every Ukrainian child may rejoice in a gift, smile and preserve that so very important childlike faith in goodness and in miracles.”
Mr Zelensky also used the address to condemn what he described as “godless” Russian attacks, coming just a day after Moscow launched a massive assault involving nearly 700 missiles and drones across Ukraine. The barrage reportedly killed three people and injured at least 12 others.
Reacting to the strikes, the Ukrainian leader said: “This is how the godless strike. This is how those act who have absolutely nothing in common with Christianity or with anything human,” sharply criticizing the moral justification of the attacks carried out during the Christmas period.
The comments follow earlier remarks by Mr Zelensky in which he stated that Putin “will die soon”, suggesting that such an event would mark the end of the war between the two countries.
As Ukraine prepares to mark its fourth Christmas since the outbreak of the conflict, Mr Zelensky also revealed a new US-backed 20-point peace plan that signals a notable shift in Kyiv’s negotiating position. The proposal reportedly indicates a willingness by Ukraine to make territorial concessions in pursuit of lasting peace.
Although the new framework is considered more favorable to Ukraine than a previous 28-point proposal drafted by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russia’s representative Kirill Dmitriev, it still includes significant compromises from Kyiv.
Mr Zelensky disclosed on Wednesday that he was prepared to relinquish control of the eastern Donbas region in order to establish an “economic free zone”, envisioned as a demilitarised buffer between Ukraine and Russia.
The United States has thrown its weight behind the idea of an economic free zone as a middle-ground solution, amid Russia’s demand that Ukraine surrender the Donbas entirely, along with several other regions illegally annexed by Moscow.
Under the proposed 20-point agreement, Ukraine would also accept a less stringent cap on the size of its armed forces, while securing firm international guarantees to protect Kyiv in the event of any future Russian invasion.
The remarks and policy proposals underscore a critical moment in the war, as Ukraine balances resilience, diplomacy, and painful concessions in its pursuit of peace after nearly four years of devastating conflict.