Zelenskyy: Ukraine 'key piece' in Putin's Soviet restoration bid

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Ukraine stands as the "key piece" in Russian President Vladimir Putin's campaign to restore Moscow's influence over former Soviet territories, according to Anadolu Agency. Speaking at a gathering of Ukraine's ambassadors in Kyiv, Zelenskyy stated that Putin aims "to put back together what has already fallen apart," describing Ukraine as the central obstacle to these revanchist designs.

Zelenskyy emphasized that the stronger and more independent post-Soviet nations become, the harder it will be for Moscow to reassert control across the region. "Ukraine is the key piece in this puzzle," he said, adding that Putin specifically seeks to "break" Ukraine because defeating Kyiv would make it easier for the Kremlin to dominate neighboring successor states.

Regional outreach

The Ukrainian leader stressed the importance of strengthening ties with Azerbaijan, whose sovereignty and territorial integrity Kyiv fully supports, as part of a broader strategy to consolidate regional stability. "This year, after a pause of many years in our relations, we also visited Armenia for the first time," Zelenskyy said, noting that these diplomatic efforts help safeguard the independence of other post-Soviet states.

Ukraine's continued presence in the former Soviet space serves as a bulwark against Russian expansionism, he noted, with the country's resistance preventing Moscow from projecting power against neighboring republics. The meeting of ambassadors took place as Kyiv seeks to deepen cooperation with regional partners amid ongoing hostilities with Russia, according to the presidential office.