'Ukraine did not choose this war': Zelenskyy addresses UN General Assembly

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during the 81st session of the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly Picture: Spencer Platt/Getty

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy used his appearance at the UN General Assembly to remind delegates of the scale and impact of Russia's war on Ukraine, claiming that even a partial victory would not be enough for Vladimir Putin.

The Ukrainian president was speaker number 17 in the morning session of the assembly on Wednesday, which is taking place in New York. 

In his Speech Mr Zelenskyy claimed that Donetsk is not enough for Mr Putin, and he will come for other Ukrainian cities.

The Ukrainian president was speaker number 17 in the morning session of the Assembly, which is taking place in New York. 

“Russia has used over 2,100 missiles against us. More than 950 of them were ballistic missiles.”

“They launch jet-powered Shahed [missiles] every hour… We are fighting them 24/7”.

He said this is “to make life harder for the economy and to disrupt our lives. They disrupt children at school. Would your country survive something like this?”

“Ukraine did not choose this war,” Mr Zelensky added.

He also warned that continued Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy system would result in retaliation in kind. “Ukrainians understand that this winter could be very hard for us. But in response we will have no choice but to make it painful for Russia too.”

Mr Zelenskyy urged  world leaders to keep choking Russia’s revenues and impede its war efforts, telling the UN General Assembly that “Russia’s revenues must remain a target.”

“When someone gives Russia more money through trade, they give this war more time. And that is exactly why we insist on limiting trade with the aggressor, and why we are burning Russia’s revenues ourselves.” 

He ended his speech by describing Russia’s continued war as “madness”, urging global action to secure peace.

“Please, everyone here, don’t be the last to join those who defend life. Be the first to say ‘we guarantee security’. Thank you to everyone who helps and everyone who stands with us – with our people, with our children.”

Russia gets its turn Saturday to address the assembly. Mr Putin hasn’t traveled to the gathering in years, sending Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov instead.

Lavrov told the UN Security Council on Wednesday that Russia is prepared to negotiate toward a lasting peace but won’t just “pause” the war. He argued that such a pause would just buy Ukraine and its backers time to line up more weapons.

Zelenskyy cast doubt on Russia’s interest in ending the fighting.

“Something always seems to stop Putin from saying, ‘That’s it. Enough. Peace,’” Mr Zelenskyy said. 

“Can you even imagine him without war? He is ‘Patient Zero’, the one from whom war keeps spreading further.... ‘Patient Zero’ must be stopped.”

• Guardian, additional reporting by AP