WATCH: Zelensky makes surprise offer to Russian soldiers

“Another difficult day, which is still approaching our victory. Approaching peace for Ukraine,” declared on optimistic Zelensky.

By World Israel News Staff

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky predicted victory over Russian forces in Ukraine and offered their troops a “chance to survive” by surrendering, several news media reported.

“The 19th day of our resistance is over. Historical war. Another difficult day, which is still approaching our victory. Approaching peace for Ukraine,” Zelensky stated.

“The enemy is confused… They flee the battlefield,” he said, adding that they abandon their weapons.

“We take trophies and use them to protect Ukraine,” Zelensky said. “Today, Russian troops are, in fact, one of the suppliers of equipment to our army. They could not imagine such a thing in a nightmare.”

“Russian conscripts! Listen to me very carefully,” he warned. “Russian officers! You’ve already understood everything. You will not take anything from Ukraine. You will take lives. There are a lot of you. But your life will also be taken. But why should you die? What for? I know that you want to survive.”

“We intercept your conversations,” the Ukrainian leader continued. “We hear what you think about this senseless war, about this disgrace and about your country…

“I offer you a choice. On behalf of the Ukrainian people, I give you a chance. Chance to survive.”

“If you surrender to our forces, we will treat you the way people are supposed to be treated. As people, decently. In a way you were not treated in your army. And in a way your army does not treat ours,” Zelensky added. “Choose!”

Zelensky expressed gratitude to the Russian state TV staffer who risked her life by interrupting a broadcast to protest the war and President Vladimir Putin. She was whisked away and has not been seen since.

He also warned that Russian military leaders would be charged with war crimes.

“Responsibility for war crimes of the Russian military is inevitable,” he said. “Responsibility for a deliberate humanitarian catastrophe in Ukrainian cities is inevitable. The whole world sees what is happening in Mariupol. Kharkiv. Chernihiv. Sumy. Okhtyrka. Hostomel. Irpin. In all our cities.”

Ukraine: ‘Room for compromise’

Meanwhile, a top Ukrainian negotiator says talks with Russia will continue Wednesday.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, who spoke to Russian negotiators via video link on Monday and Tuesday, described the talks as “very difficult and viscous.”

He said that “there are fundamental contradictions,” but added that “there is certainly room for compromise.”

The talks via video link this week follow three round of negotiations in Belarus that have failed to produce any visible progress.

Associated Press contributed to this report.