Contrasting New Year speeches from Putin and Zelenskiy

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskiy honoured his people’s resilience in times of bloodshed in a long and lyrical New Year speech, while Russian leader Vladimir Putin stressed his country’s unity in a short and stern message that made only passing reference to the war.

The speeches came as both countries marked the end of the year with increased air attacks on each other’s territories. But neither side can point to any major frontline achievements in 2023.

“The major result of the year, its main achievement: Ukraine has become stronger,” Mr Zelenskiy said in a televised address interspersed with footage of cities under attack and meetings with leaders of Ukraine’s Western allies. Mentioning “war” 14 times in his 20-minute message, he also vowed, just like a year ago, that a free Ukraine would prevail.

Comments by Mr Putin, who faces an election in March, provided a sharp contrast to those of Mr Zelenskiy and also to his own speech last year, when he cast the war as a near-existential fight. This year, he called Russia’s soldiers “our heroes,” but did not mention Ukraine by name and did not refer to the “special military operation” – his term for the war his invasion unleashed in February 2022.

‘I don’t think the West really understands’: A Ukrainian writer on his journey from torture camp to the front line

---

Slovakian government could go down dark path following attempted assassination

---

Putin praises Xi Jinping’s proposals for ending war in Ukraine ahead of two-day visit to China

---

Even David Attenborough couldn’t save the Tories now

---

Neither Mr Putin nor Mr Zelenskiy referred to the 1,000km front line where Kyiv’s counteroffensive had little success and where Moscow has been pushing on with its most recent but slow offensive along the eastern flank aiming to take control of more Ukrainian territory.

Reuters

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024