Lead: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used his Munich Security Conference address to accuse Russian President Vladimir Putin of being a “slave to war,” and warned that Russian strikes have hit every power plant in Ukraine. Speaking days before the fourth anniversary of Moscow’s February 2022 invasion, Zelensky urged faster delivery of Western air-defence systems and pressed for security guarantees as the only path to a durable peace. He compared current talk of territorial concessions to the 1938 Munich Agreement, arguing that dividing Ukraine would be an illusionary shortcut to peace. Kyiv said it is preparing for US-brokered negotiations next week while insisting it will not withdraw from its eastern regions.
Key Takeaways
- Zelensky told the Munich Security Conference that “not a single power plant left in Ukraine that has not been damaged by Russian attacks,” insisting repairs continue and electricity is still produced.
- The speech came days before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion that began in February 2022, a conflict Kyiv and partners say has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.
- Zelensky labelled Vladimir Putin “a slave to war,” saying the Russian leader’s actions drive the conflict and prevent negotiated peace.
- Kazakh- and US-brokered diplomacy continues: Russia and Ukraine are scheduled for US-brokered talks next week in Geneva after recent rounds in Abu Dhabi; Kyiv says it is pursuing “everything” to end the war.
- Zelensky warned against territorial concessions, comparing such talks to the 1938 Munich Agreement and saying viable security guarantees are necessary to prevent future aggression.
- He pressed the West for faster political decisions and quicker delivery of air-defence systems, noting the growing lethality of Iranian-designed Shahed drones used by Russia.
- Zelensky said European states should sit at the negotiating table — a proposal Moscow has resisted — and reiterated Ukraine will hold elections only after a ceasefire and security guarantees are in place.
Background
Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The conflict has since produced sustained combat in eastern and southern Ukraine, the partial occupation of territory, and repeated strikes on civilian infrastructure, notably on the energy grid during winter months. International partners — particularly NATO members and the European Union — have supplied weapons, training, and economic backing to Kyiv while imposing sanctions on Moscow. Diplomatic efforts have oscillated between ceasefire proposals, prisoner exchanges, and intermittent negotiation formats mediated by third parties such as the United States and Middle Eastern hosts.
Energy infrastructure has been a focal point of the campaign: Kyiv and Western officials accuse Russian forces of deliberately targeting power stations and transmission to degrade civilian resilience and morale. Repair crews and municipalities have sought to restore service rapidly, even as cold weather and repeated strikes complicate reconstruction. At the same time, Western capitals debate how far to push support for Ukraine — whether to press for negotiations that could involve territorial compromises or to condition any settlement on robust, verifiable security guarantees for Kyiv.
Main Event
At the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Zelensky framed his address around two linked arguments: the human and material cost of Russia’s campaign and the need for hard security assurances before any territorial settlement. He asserted that Russian attacks had damaged Ukraine’s power plants and highlighted the work of thousands of technicians keeping the grid functional. He used stark language about Russia’s leadership, saying Putin “may see himself as a tsar, but in reality he is a slave to war,” to characterize Moscow’s approach as driven by aggression rather than compromise.
Zelensky said Kyiv will not accept surrendering its eastern regions and criticized what he described as disproportionate attention to concessions in talks led by other parties. He drew an explicit analogy to the 1938 Munich Agreement, warning that sacrificing territory now could not be relied upon to prevent a wider future conflict. Zelensky also reiterated that elections in Ukraine would depend on a ceasefire and security arrangements that guarantee sovereignty.
The president noted upcoming Geneva talks brokered by the United States and said Kyiv was engaged in diplomatic preparation, including phone discussions he reported having with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. He called on European nations to be directly represented at the negotiating table — a demand Russia opposes — and urged allied capitals to accelerate political decisions on weapons deliveries and air-defence deployments.
Analysis & Implications
Zelensky’s rhetoric at Munich serves multiple strategic aims: to sustain international political will, to pressure partners for faster material support, and to set red lines ahead of negotiations. By invoking the Munich 1938 analogy, he aims to frame concessions as historically dangerous and to shift the debate from short-term ceasefires toward long-term security architecture. That framing strengthens Kyiv’s bargaining position domestically and among allies who worry about emboldening future aggression.
Operationally, claims that all power plants have been hit — if taken as accurate or indicative of broad infrastructure impact — underscore continued Russian focus on critical civilian systems. Disruption of electricity complicates civilian life, winter survival, and industrial production, increasing Kyiv’s urgency for air-defence systems and international assistance. Rapid repairs by local crews mitigate some effects but do not remove vulnerability to repeated strikes.
On diplomacy, Zelensky’s insistence on security guarantees reflects Kyiv’s wariness of any deal that leaves legal or physical loopholes for renewed aggression. That stance narrows the range of politically acceptable outcomes and complicates talks in venues where some third parties press for compromises to halt immediate bloodshed. If Western capitals prioritize rapid de-escalation without binding guarantees, Kyiv risks domestic backlash and potential strategic exposure.
Economically and regionally, prolonged attacks on energy assets amplify reconstruction costs and slow recovery. They also have spillover political effects in Europe, where energy security and refugee flows remain salient. The balance Western governments strike between supplying defensive systems, imposing more sanctions, and pursuing negotiated settlements will shape the conflict’s trajectory over months to come.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | Reported figure / claim |
|---|---|
| Invasion start | February 2022 |
| Fatalities | Hundreds of thousands (reported) |
| People displaced | Millions (reported) |
| Power plants damaged | Zelensky: every plant has been damaged |
| Upcoming talks | US-brokered Geneva talks next week |
The figures in the table summarize public claims and commonly cited tallies: the invasion began in February 2022; casualty and displacement totals are reported in the broad ranges noted above; and Zelensky’s claim about universal damage to power plants is a direct statement from his address. Each row mixes independently verified facts (start date, planned talks) with reported or leader-attributed assessments that may require further verification.
Reactions & Quotes
“There is not a single power plant left in Ukraine that has not been damaged by Russian attacks. Not one.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky
Context: Zelensky used this line to underscore civilian hardship and to plead for more rapid delivery of air-defence systems and reconstruction support.
“He may see himself as a tsar, but in reality he is a slave to war.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky
Context: The remark framed Zelensky’s criticism of Putin’s motives as rooted in perpetual aggression rather than defensible strategic aims.
“We count on the meetings being truly productive.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky (social media)
Context: Posted ahead of Geneva negotiations, this line signalled Kyiv’s hope for tangible progress while keeping public expectations focused on security guarantees.
Unconfirmed
- Zelensky’s claim that every Ukrainian power plant has been damaged is a direct presidential assertion; independent, plant-by-plant verification was not provided in the speech.
- Reports of imminent concessions under discussion were described by Zelensky as disproportionately focused on Ukraine; the precise contents of confidential negotiation proposals have not been publicly released.
- Details of private phone conversations Zelensky said he had with named U.S. envoys were summarized by the president; participants’ full accounts or transcripts have not been published.
Bottom Line
Zelensky’s Munich statement sharpened Kyiv’s public negotiating posture: it rejects territorial concessions without robust security guarantees and presses for faster Western deliveries of air-defence systems. By invoking the Munich analogy and emphasizing infrastructure damage, the president seeks to rally domestic and allied resolve while narrowing the acceptable terms of any settlement.
Practically, the coming Geneva talks will test whether mediators can bridge Kyiv’s demand for enforceable guarantees with international partners’ readiness to provide them. If guarantees are deemed insufficient by Ukraine, negotiations risk stalling, prolonging the conflict and its humanitarian and economic costs. Observers should watch for concrete proposals on monitoring, enforcement, and the composition of any security guarantors as indicators of whether diplomacy can deliver a durable pause.
Sources
- Yahoo News — news media report summarizing Zelensky’s Munich speech and related developments.
- Munich Security Conference (MSC) — official conference site and program information (official/conference).
- Office of the President of Ukraine — official communications and social-media posts from the Ukrainian presidency (official).