Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has predicted that Russian President Vladimir Putin will die “soon” and insisted that his death would bring an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking to French television, Zelensky claimed that Russia’s war effort hinges entirely on Putin’s survival, suggesting that the conflict would collapse in his absence.
“He [Putin] will die soon, and that’s a fact, and it will come to an end,” Zelensky said Wednesday.
The Ukrainian leader’s blunt assessment follows years-long rumors about the Russian strongman’s health woes — including reported strokes, multiple bouts of cancer and even Parkinson’s disease.
Zelensky offered up the prediction, too, as he pleaded with the US to “stay strong” — and not cave to the Kremlin’s demands during ongoing peace and cease-fire negotiations.
“It is very important that America does not help Putin to get out of this global isolation now,” Zelensky said.
“I believe that this is dangerous. This is one of the most dangerous moments.”
He added that Putin, who he predicted would remain in power until his death, fears the “destabilization of his society” — and that Western nations could help intensify the pressure.
“If they push Putin, he will face destabilization in his society, and he will fear it,” Zelensky predicted.
Zelensky’s remarks reflect the prevailing European belief that Ukraine’s victory is simply a matter of endurance — that if the war drags on just a bit longer, Russia will inevitably crumble. This perspective hinges on the idea that, despite its battlefield strength, Russia is internally fragile and on the verge of collapse. Of course, we’ve been hearing that for some time now.
This is not the first time Zelensky has tied the war’s outcome to Putin’s fate. Back in 2022, in the early months of the conflict, he told David Letterman that Russia’s invasion would end if Putin were to die. When Letterman asked if the war would continue if Putin “got a really bad cold and died,” Zelensky was unequivocal: “No. There would be no war.”
He argued then, as he does now, that Russia’s entire system is propped up by Putin’s personal grip on power. Without him, he claimed, the country’s institutions would falter — just as the Soviet Union collapsed after its leadership crumbled.
“If he’s gone, it will be hard for them. They will have to deal with their internal policy rather than foreign issues,” Zelensky said at the time.
Rumors about Putin’s health go back at least ten years. In 2015, some believed he had a stroke. More recently, rumors have suggested Putin has Parkinson’s disease or cancer. At 72, anything is possible, but so far, no solid evidence has surfaced to support these assertions.
Zelensky has also suggested that Putin could be assassinated.
“One may have different attitudes towards international institutions, but the International Criminal Court’s warrant for Putin’s arrest for kidnapping and forced deportation of children from Ukraine clearly demonstrates where Putin’s so-called ‘career’ should end. He has only two options ahead – to be in the dock in The Hague, or to be killed by one of his accomplices who are now killing for him,” Zelensky said last year.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that Zelensky says a lot of things.
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