Vladimir Putin’s days are numbered; at least, that’s what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes. Amidst rumors about the Russian leader’s failing health, Zelenskyy didn’t hold back during a speech in Paris where he declared with certainty, “He will die soon, and that’s a fact.”
Zelenskyy was standing alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. He also urged the United States to stand firm in its support for Ukraine, warning that Russia’s president fears his own people as much as his adversaries. “He fears his own society,” Zelenskyy said, as he pointed out the importance of keeping Putin isolated.
The Kremlin continues to deny any concerns about Putin’s health but the speculation won’t hit a pause. The 72-year-old former KGB operative has been the subject of endless rumors regarding claims of Parkinson’s disease to cancer diagnoses. Further a lot of his video appearances have shown him to be having a visibly swollen face, trembling hands, and unsteady movements. Those glimpses have been enough to fuel the gossip. Some reports even suggest that Putin employs body doubles to maintain the illusion of vitality.
🇫🇷🇺🇦🇷🇺
“Putin will die soon — that’s a fact. And all this will be over.” — President Zelenskyy pic.twitter.com/16PLRQzSul
— 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐊𝐎𝐌𝐒𝐀 | 🇪🇺🇫🇷🇵🇱🇺🇦 (@tweet4Anna_NAFO) March 26, 2025
But Zelenskyy is confident in his prediction. “It will come to an end,” he said. His statement made it evident that he’s strongly believing Putin’s grip on power won’t last.
Despite talks of peace, Russia hasn’t stepped back from its brutal assault on Ukraine. On Tuesday night alone, Russian forces launched 117 strikes. That again cast doubt over the Kremlin’s supposed interest in a ceasefire.
Zelenskyy and Macron met on Wednesday. Their conversation followed the announcement of a partial Black Sea ceasefire. It is a fragile agreement brokered by the U.S. Yet both leaders accused Russia of denying peace efforts.
“While saying it wants peace, Russia continues to strike intensely the Ukrainian territory, including civilian targets,” Macron said. He was visibly frustrated by what he described as Putin’s repeated attempts to “reinterpret” ceasefire agreements to Russia’s advantage.
The French president committed an additional $2 billion in military aid to Ukraine. He said that this is a “decisive phase to put an end to the war of aggression.”
🇫🇷 A high-level meeting has begun in Paris, where world leaders are discussing support for Ukraine in countering Russian aggression and achieving a just and lasting peace. Talks are being held behind closed doors. Earlier, Sky News reported that Zelensky met with French President… pic.twitter.com/e2SW4Xkk2B
— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) March 27, 2025
On Thursday, EU leaders are set to gather at the Élysée Palace in Paris to discuss the next steps. Among the possibilities on the table is the controversial idea of deploying European peacekeepers to Ukraine. However, Macron acknowledged there will be risks.
If Russian forces attacked Ukrainian soil with European troops present, the consequences could be dangerous. “This would constitute an attack on the peacekeepers too,” he explained as he noted that French and British forces would be among those likely to respond.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also issued a warning to Russia. “An attack on Poland, or any alliance member, would trigger a devastating military response,” Rutte declared. He reminded European nations that “nothing can replace America’s nuclear umbrella” in ensuring the region’s safety.
Meanwhile, EU officials are encouraging citizens to prepare for the worst, advising households across the 27-nation bloc to create war-survival kits.
Noticeably absent from Thursday’s summit was Donald Trump. He has shown little support for the idea of deploying troops to maintain peace in Ukraine.
In a recent interview with Tucker Carlson, Trump dismissed the notion of an EU peacekeeping force as “a combination of posture and a pose.” He is of the opinion that the concept was “too simplistic.”
On the other hand, Zelenskyy is holding out hope for firm decisions from Europe. He believes that consistent pressure on Russia is essential to ending the war.
“Now is definitely not the time to reduce pressure on Russia or weaken our unity for the sake of peace,” Zelenskyy said. “Russia wants this war to continue. It is dragging it out. We need to put pressure on Russia so that the war ends indeed.”
Zelensky says Putin will die soon; it’s a fact, and his safe and unsuccessful historical life will end. pic.twitter.com/ObDzLAN5HF
— Globe Eye News (@GlobeEyeNews) March 26, 2025
The battlefield is raging and diplomacy is struggling to take hold. Now, the world is waiting to see whether Europe will deliver on its promises; and whether Putin’s rumored health struggles will hasten the end the Ukrainian President has so confidently predicted.
