SP
BravenNow
As Ukraine war enters fifth year, Zelenskyy says Putin failing at his war goals
| USA | general | ✓ Verified - cbsnews.com

As Ukraine war enters fifth year, Zelenskyy says Putin failing at his war goals

#Ukraine war #Zelenskyy #Putin #Fifth anniversary #Peace negotiations #Reconstruction #European support #Energy attacks

📌 Key Takeaways

  • Zelenskyy declares Putin has failed to achieve war goals after five years of conflict
  • Ukraine remains committed to securing a strong, lasting peace on its terms
  • European leaders reaffirm support for Ukraine during the fifth anniversary
  • Russia continues attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure despite international sanctions
  • Post-war reconstruction is estimated to cost $588 billion over the next decade

📖 Full Retelling

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy marked the fifth anniversary of Russia's invasion in Kyiv on February 24, 2026, declaring that Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin has failed to achieve his war goals as the conflict that began in 2022 continues to devastate the region. In a video address showing Ukrainians carrying out acts of resistance against Russian soldiers, Zelenskyy emphasized Ukraine's resilience, stating 'We have defended our independence, we have not lost our statehood; Putin has not achieved his goals. He has not broken Ukrainians; he has not won this war.' The address comes as hundreds of thousands have died on both sides since Russia invaded its neighbor, unleashing the deadliest war on European soil since World War II. European leaders including Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen visited Ukraine to mark the anniversary, reaffirming their unwavering support. 'We will not relent until peace is restored. Peace on Ukraine's terms,' von der Leyen stated, adding that Europe stood with Ukraine financially, militarily, and through the harsh winter. Despite ongoing U.S.-brokered talks, the conflict continues with Russia escalating attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and slowly advancing on the front line, particularly in the eastern Donbas region. The grinding war has devastated Ukraine, with post-war reconstruction estimated at $588 billion over the next decade according to a joint World Bank, EU and UN report with Kyiv.

🏷️ Themes

War Anniversary, International Relations, Reconstruction

📚 Related People & Topics

List of wars involving Ukraine

List of wars involving Ukraine

The following is a list of major conflicts fought by Ukraine, by Ukrainian people or by regular armies during periods when independent states existed on the modern territory of Ukraine, from the Kievan Rus' times to the present day. It also includes wars fought outside Ukraine by Ukrainian military....

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗
Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Volodymyr Zelenskyy

President of Ukraine since 2019

Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy (born 25 January 1978) is a Ukrainian politician and former entertainer who has served as the sixth president of Ukraine since 2019. He took office five years after the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War with Russia's annexation of Crimea and invasion of the Donbas, ...

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗
Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Putin

President of Russia (2000–2008; since 2012)

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Russia from 1999 to 2000 and again from 2008 to 2012. He has...

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗
Peace treaty

Peace treaty

Agreement between hostile parties

A peace treaty is an agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually countries or governments, which formally ends a state of war between the parties. It is different from an armistice, which is an agreement to stop hostilities; a surrender, in which an army agrees to give up arms; or a cease...

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗

Entity Intersection Graph

Connections for List of wars involving Ukraine:

👤 Volodymyr Zelenskyy 6 shared
👤 Vladimir Putin 2 shared
🌐 List of diplomatic missions of Russia 2 shared
🌐 Peace process 2 shared
🌐 Petroleum industry in Russia 1 shared
View full profile

Deep Analysis

Why It Matters

This marks a grim milestone as Europe's deadliest conflict since WWII enters its fifth year, demonstrating the war's intractability despite massive casualties. The anniversary highlights Ukraine's continued resilience and the failure of Russia's initial objectives, while underscoring the enormous humanitarian and reconstruction challenges ahead.

Context & Background

  • Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, triggering the largest European conflict since World War II
  • The war has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties and devastated Ukraine's infrastructure
  • Russia currently occupies approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory
  • International peace talks mediated by the US have so far failed to achieve a breakthrough

What Happens Next

Diplomatic efforts will continue amid ongoing fighting, with Ukraine seeking stronger security guarantees from Western allies. The massive $588 billion reconstruction effort will begin planning while Russia continues its campaign against Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of Ukraine does Russia currently control?

Russia occupies around 20 percent of Ukrainian territory.

What are the estimated reconstruction costs for Ukraine?

Post-war reconstruction is estimated at approximately $588 billion over the next decade.

What does Ukraine demand for any peace agreement?

Ukraine requires security guarantees from allies like the US to deter future Russian invasions.

Original Source
World As Ukraine war enters fifth year, Zelenskyy says Putin failing at his war goals February 24, 2026 / 4:17 AM EST / CBS/AFP Add CBS News on Google Kyiv, Ukraine — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy marked the start of the fifth year of the Ukraine war by saying Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin has failed to achieve his war goals. In a video address that showed Ukrainians carrying out acts of resistance against Russian soldiers in the opening days of the conflict, Zelenskyy added that Ukraine was ready to do "everything" it could to secure a strong, lasting peace. Hundreds of thousands have died on both sides since Russia invaded its neighbor on Feb. 24, 2022, unleashing the deadliest war on European soil since World War II. Talks between the two sides, relaunched last year by the United States, have so far failed to halt the fighting that has devastated the country and left it facing a mammoth reconstruction task. "We have defended our independence, we have not lost our statehood; Putin has not achieved his goals. He has not broken Ukrainians; he has not won this war. We have preserved Ukraine, and we will do everything to secure peace and justice. Glory to Ukraine!" Zelenskyy said in his address, which he posted on social media . "We want peace. Strong, dignified, and lasting peace," Zelenskyy said, adding that any agreement "must not simply be signed, it must be accepted by Ukrainians." Zelenskyy told AFP last week that Ukraine wasn't losing the war, and he urged European countries to deploy troops to the front line in the case of any ceasefire to protect against Russia attacking again. The leaders of Ukraine allies, including Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, were in the country on Tuesday to mark the anniversary. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen was also there, saying she wanted to reaffirm that Europe stood "unwaveringly with Ukraine, financially, militarily, and through this harsh winter." "And to send...
Read full article at source

Source

cbsnews.com

More from USA

News from Other Countries

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

🇺🇦 Ukraine