President Zelensky Calls Ceasefire Only Beneficial To Russia

JAKARTA - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday a ceasefire in Russia's fight against Ukraine would not result in political dialogue, otherwise it would only benefit Moscow.

Speaking to reporters in Estonia's capital, Tallinn, President Zelensky said any pause would risk allowing Russia to re-emerge its troops, increasing the supply of ammunition.

"And we will not take risks," President Zelensky said.

"This jeda will not end the war, it will not lead to political dialogue with Russia or other parties. And be grateful that all of this was decided in Ukraine and there will be no pause to benefit Russia," he said.

Earlier, President Zelensky said Russia faced a "lack" of ammunition and struggled to rebuild its elite forces, affecting their behavior on the battlefield.

He accused Russia of negotiating the purchase of missiles from Iran and Russian troops had received more than one million rounds of ammunition from North Korea.

President Zelensky declined to comment on Italian Defense Minister's statement on Wednesday, which said the time had come for diplomacy in the conflict.

"I've never had such negotiations with Italy at any level, so it's difficult for me to comment," he said.

President Zelensky is known to be traveling to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, which are some of Kyiv's most loyal supporters in the European Union and the NATO military alliance.

He hopes to overcome fatigue among Ukraine's Western allies, gain more financial and military assistance, as well as discuss Kyiv's efforts to join NATO and the EU.