Speaking with Saudi news channel Al Arabiya on Sunday, he said the war started when Russia invaded the Crimean Peninsula in February, 2014.

Zelenskyy said he regretted not fighting when Russia first invaded Crimea.

But while seemingly confident of victory, he said this would not be an easy task without Ukraine’s allies and he warned that a victory would be delayed if the delivery of weapons was slowed.

He condemned the invasion saying the war was not being fought for Russia, explaining “Putin is fighting to save himself and not for his nation.”
NATO members this week agreed that Ukraine would eventually become a member of the alliance, but that victory against Russia should first be achieved.

The comments that came just weeks after Finland joined NATO, ultimately meant that Ukraine’s allies, while providing weapons to fight, would not offer boots on the ground.

But despite this, Zelensky remains confident that his country will eventually win, but conceded “it will be difficult without our allies.”

Zelensky said Ukraine was preparing for a counter offensive, adding: “and it will happen… We are stronger than a year ago, we liberated some of our lands.”

Last year Zelenskyy proposed a 10-point peace plan which called for the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from all parts of Ukraine.

It also called for nuclear safety at the country’s power plants, food security – ensuring that its grain would reach the world’s poorest nations, and a prevention of an escalation in the conflict.

The 10-point plan also called on a prisoner exchange – something he said Arab nations could help to negotiate.

Saudi Arabia and Turkiye were involved in previous negotiations that led to the exchange of prisoners between the two countries in September.