Vladimir Putin 'has started WW3' claims Zelenskyy on eve of fourth anniversary of Russian invasion
Mr Zelenskyy also hinted he may not stand during his country's next election
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Vladimir Putin of already starting World War Three ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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The Ukrainian leader argued that only strong military action and economic pressure would stop his counterpart and end the conflict.
Mr Zelenskyy also revealed he has not decided whether he will run for another term when Ukraine next holds its general election.
Referring to World War III, he said: "I believe that Putin has already started it. The question is how much territory he will be able to seize and how to stop him.
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"Russia wants to impose on the world a different way of life and change the lives people have chosen for themselves."
Mr Zelenskyy has rejected suggestions by Donald Trump to concede Ukrainian territory in the east and south in return for a potential ceasefire, as part of the US President's 28-point peace plan.
He told the BBC: "I see this differently. I don't look at it simply as land. I see it as abandonment - weakening our positions, abandoning hundreds of thousands of our people who live there.
"That is how I see it and I am sure that this withdrawal would divide our society."
He added: "Will we lose? Of course not, because we are fighting for Ukraine's independence.
"I believe that stopping Putin today and preventing him from occupying Ukraine is a victory for the whole world. Because Putin will not stop at Ukraine."
It comes after the latest round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia ended after less than two hours of "difficult" talks in Geneva.
That followed a previous round of "very tense" six-hour talks in Switzerland days earlier.
Addressing suggestions he may wish to step aside at the next election, Mr Zelenskyy added: "I might run and might not.
"If this is a condition for ending the war, let’s do it. I said, ‘honestly, you constantly raise the issue of elections’. I told the partners, you need to decide one thing, you want to get rid of me or you want to hold elections?
"If you want to hold elections, hold them in a way that the Ukrainian people will recognise, first of all. And you yourself must recognise that these are legitimate elections."
The comments come as Russian forces attacked Ukraine with a barrage of missiles and drones over the weekend, killing one person and injuring several others in the Kyiv region, Ukraine's Emergency Service said.
Ukraine's relationship with the US has strained following Mr Zelenskyy's visit to the White House last year where he was involved in a heated exchange with Mr Trump and Vice-President JD Vance.
Although US military shipments have since been curtailed, Kyiv still relies heavily on US intelligence and weapons funded by European allies.