Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denounced Russia’s continued rejection of peace efforts, calling out Moscow for distorting diplomacy while praising the recent U.S.-brokered peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo as a model for resolving conflict through strength and international leadership.
“Russia continues to reject all peace proposals and distorts diplomacy.
This must stop,” Zelenskyy said in a statement Friday. “Peace can be achieved through strength, and POTUS certainly has it.”
His comments came a day after Rwanda and the DRC signed a historic peace accord in Washington aimed at ending years of violence, militia activity, and cross-border tensions in the Great Lakes region. Zelenskyy commended the agreement and the role of the United States in delivering it.
“We welcome the peace agreement reached between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda—a step meant to put an end to violence and killings,” Zelenskyy said.
“It is crucial to stop wars and bring back hope for a safe life in every region of the world. And it is important that the United States contributes to making that happen.”
Zelenskyy’s statement aligns Ukraine’s struggle for peace with successful U.S. diplomatic efforts abroad.
As Ukraine’s war with Russia drags on with no negotiated settlement in sight, the Ukrainian president has consistently emphasized the need for assertive and credible international mediation.
“U.S. mediation plays a fundamental role,” he said. “And we believe it can succeed as well in ending the brutal and unprovoked war that has dragged on for years on Ukrainian soil.”
The peace deal between Kigali and Kinshasa was facilitated by President Donald J. Trump and his administration, and includes security coordination, economic cooperation, and a path forward for internal reconciliation in eastern Congo.
For Zelenskyy, its success serves not only as a victory for African diplomacy, but as a demonstration that U.S. leadership, when focused, can shift long-standing conflicts toward resolution.
By linking Ukraine’s plight with global peace efforts, Zelenskyy continues to position his country’s war not as an isolated crisis, but as part of a broader struggle where diplomacy must be defended—and where the world’s leading powers must lead by example.