In a surprising statement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has predicted that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s health is failing and that he will die soon.
Zelenskyy made this bold prediction during a Wednesday interview, also urging the U.S. not to relieve Russia’s global isolation as peace talks continue to end the war in Ukraine.
“He will die soon, that is a fact, and everything will be over,” Zelenskyy reportedly told Eurovision News in Paris, according to a partial translation by the Kyiv Independent.
Zelenskyy stated that Putin aims to “remain in power until his death” and seeks “a direct confrontation with the West,” according to the Kyiv Independent.
Zelenskyy did not elaborate on the reasons behind his belief that the 72-year-old Russian leader is nearing his end.
Speculation regarding Putin’s health has been circulating for years, intensifying since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin has consistently dismissed these rumors, denying reports last year without any concrete evidence to support claims of Putin’s alleged poor health.
In October, Putin was seen with what appeared to be intravenous (IV) track marks on his hands during a meeting with soldiers, fueling rumors of medical treatment. The origin of these marks remained unclear.
Rumors have also suggested that Putin has suffered strokes and has Parkinson’s disease.
Zelenskyy’s remarks follow delegations from Ukraine and Russia agreeing to a ceasefire on attacks targeting energy infrastructure and other hostilities in the Black Sea. The agreement was reached on Tuesday after discussions with Trump administration officials in Saudi Arabia.
The Kremlin stated that a Black Sea ceasefire would only be implemented if Western sanctions on Russia’s Rosselkhozbank (which reportedly serves agriculture firms) are lifted and access to the international banking system is restored, according to Reuters.
During the interview, Zelenskyy implored the U.S. not to concede to the Kremlin’s demands during ongoing peace and cease-fire negotiations, even though the U.S. has agreed to expand Russia’s access to global markets.
“It is very important that America does not help Putin to get out of this global isolation now,” Zelenskyy said.
“I believe that this is dangerous. This is one of the most dangerous moments.”
On Thursday, Zelenskyy met with French President Emmanuel Macron prior to a summit in Paris involving approximately 30 nations. The summit will focus on strengthening Kyiv’s position and its military capabilities as it pursues a ceasefire with Russia. Proposals to deploy European troops in Ukraine in conjunction with any peace agreement are also under consideration.
Vladimir Putin has served as president of Russia since 2012, previously holding the position from 2000 to 2008. The former KGB foreign intelligence officer also served as prime minister of Russia from 1999 to 2000 and again from 2008 to 2012.
’ Haley Chi-Sing, Reuters and
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