Year three of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may be Zelenskiy’s toughest yet

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said at a press conference: ‘The third year will be decisive. It’s a year of challenges from inside and outside.’ Photograph: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters

Volodymyr Zelenskiy has an unenviable task over the coming months. As Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine enters its third year, the Ukrainian president has a very difficult balancing act to manage.

Ukrainian society is exhausted by the war and international support is splintering, leading to a critical shortage of ammunition at the front. At the same time, most Ukrainians are not willing to countenance the idea of a peace deal, given that there would be few mechanisms to force Russia to abide by it, and would risk merely giving Moscow time to replenish its forces and strike Ukraine again.