Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks with Sergei Menyailo, the North Ossetia-Alania Republic Head, during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Tuesday, June 16, 2026.Vladimir Putin fears his own soldiers returning home if Russia does not manage to secure a victory against Ukraine, according to Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian president claimed his Russian counterpart is “physically afraid of his own army” in a new post on X after the largest Ukrainian attack on Moscow since the start of the war in February 2022.
It comes amid reports Donald Trump may be looking to adopt a harder approach against Putin once again following a friendly G7 summit earlier this week.
Writing on X, Zelenskyy said: “There’s no doubt that Putin fears the return of his army home.
“That is why he is so afraid of the war ending without victory.
“And there will be no victory. He is physically afraid of his own army.”
The Russian president has repeatedly dragged his feet over peace negotiations to end his land grab in Ukraine, even when Trump forced Kyiv into making major concessions to the aggressor.
Now the US president has signalled that he will increase sanctions on the Russian oil trade again, a move which will hit the country’s economy.
That’s terrible news for Putin, who has forced his army on in Ukraine despite accumulating more than 1.2 million casualties – many more than Ukraine has endured.
Zelenskyy also said: “That is why, if there is no ceasefire backed by specific security guarantees, he will return to war. And this time, others may be the ones under attack.”
“Today, Ukraine is de facto the second army of Nato – one that is not inferior to the second army in the world,” he added.
“And that is why Nato needs us – specifically us – de jure. This is already a fact recognised by all leaders.
“Putin will remain in the Kremlin until his death, and he has one goal: the restoration of the Soviet Union.
“Without Ukraine, this is impossible, and that is why things are so difficult for us.”
Speaking after meeting senior EU leaders in Brussels, Zelenskyy said the bloc was looking to step up sanctions on Russia again.
He said: “Putin doesn’t want to stop, and all his talk about seeking peace is nothing but lies. All partners, all Europeans, feel this. But everyone is confident that together we will stop him.”
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