Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for peace in a video address on Saturday, warning that Russia will suffer for generations from effects from the war.
“I want everyone to hear me now, especially in Moscow. The time has come for a meeting, it is time to talk,” Zelensky said, according to Reuters.
“The time has come to restore territorial integrity and justice for Ukraine. Otherwise, Russia’s losses will be such that it will take you several generations to recover,” he added.
The Ukrainian president’s warning comes amid fierce fighting by his country’s military and civilians who have taken up arms to defend their land that has slowed the Russian offensive.
U.S. defense officials including Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin have stated that Russian forces have made several missteps in their attack of Ukraine, assuming that they would be able to take the country in a short amount of time.
Russia has also been hit hard by crippling economic sanctions from the U.S. and its Western allies since its decision to invade Ukraine on Feb. 24.
The sanctions have targeted Russian banks, Russian President Vladimir Putin himself, and wealthy Russians with ties to the Kremlin. The U.S. also recently banned the import of Russian oil.
In addition, dozens of large, private U.S. companies such as McDonald’s and Apple have suspended or completely shut down operations in Russia in response to its war with Ukraine.
President Biden and members of his administration have said that the sanctions have had a devastating effect on the Russian economy, including reducing the value of the ruble to less than an American penny. The stock market has also been suspended in Russia for weeks.
During his first public appearance since the war began, Putin told his people Russia would “absolutely accomplish all of our plans,” according to Reuters.