Zelenskyy’s Ceasefire Proposal Ignored as Russian Forces Abduct 20,000 Ukrainian Children

Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Olga Stefanishyna, stated on Wednesday that Russia is deliberately prolonging its war against Ukraine despite Kyiv’s willingness to make difficult concessions to stop the fighting.

Stefanishyna noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had declared Ukraine was ready to cease hostilities along the current front lines — a position she described as “a huge thing for Ukraine” that Moscow has overlooked.

“I think the message from Russia is very clear,” she said. “They are choosing to continue the war. Every day they are not willing to agree on anything.”

She criticized Russia’s negotiation tactics under strongman Vladimir Putin, stating it is “not a good way to negotiate when you’re saying that, you know, we are going to move in a military way, but you can just sign it up on the paper.”

Addressing Russia’s battlefield losses and economic strain, Stefanishyna explained that Moscow has relied on foreign fighters to sustain its war effort. “To endure on a front line, they had to onboard foreign soldiers like North Korean, Cuban, and even Chinese soldiers, which were becoming the prisoners of war in Ukraine,” she said.

She added that Russia’s war machine continues to be fueled by energy revenue. “The major fuel of war is the benefits Russia gets from gas and oil. And as long as there are so many opportunities they still have around the globe, the longer they will endure,” Stefanishyna stated.

Stefanishyna also highlighted what she described as the widespread abduction of Ukrainian children by Russian forces. “As of now, I can confirm that we have 20,000 verified files of the kids who were abducted,” she said, adding that the real number is likely higher.

“That’s a war crime,” she emphasized. “All of the abducted children should be unconditionally brought back to Ukraine because we are responsible for them. They have families, they have their homes.”

She warned that “the longer the war is lasting, the longer Putin thinks he can go unnoticed with continued crimes,” including what she called the “horrific indoctrination and militarization of kids” in occupied territories.

While discussions continue about stopping hostilities, Stefanishyna stressed that “these crimes will never be forgotten and accountability should follow.”