Zelenskyy: Putin 'Will Die Soon'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin "will die soon" amid recent reports that Putin is in failing health.

Further, Zelenskyy urged the United States and the Trump administration to "stay strong" and not cave to Putin's demands on a ceasefire deal to end the three-year war.

Zelenskyy made the comments in a sit-down interview with reporters alongside French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday in Paris on the eve of meetings of European leaders.

"[Putin] will die soon, and that's a fact, and it will come to an end," Zelenskyy said, adding that death is "what he is afraid of."

It was reported last week that Putin, 72, suffered a "mini stroke" after shaking uncontrollably at a conference, The Standard reported.

There have also been unverified claims that Putin is suffering from cancer and Parkinson's disease.

"There's been rumors of Putin being unwell since the mid 2000s, if not earlier," Dr. Stephen Hall, a Russian political analyst told The Sun. "There are lots of possible theories as to what's been going on in terms of how the Kremlin hides it."

The Sun reported that Putin is on "heavy steroids and innovative pain-killing injections" to blunt the spread of pancreatic cancer. "It not only causes a lot of pain, Putin has a state of puffiness of the face and other side effects — including memory lapses," The Sun reported, citing another Russian intelligence source.

Regardless, Zelenskyy urged the U.S. to "stay strong" in its negotiations with Russia.

"It is very important that America does not help Putin to get out of this global isolation now," Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy is among 30 leaders in Paris for the third summit of the "coalition of the willing." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz are among those scheduled to attend.

The U.S. is not represented at the meetings. Their goal is to help bolster Ukraine's position in peace talks with Russia.