Ukraine’s leader stood on platform of peace, but finds himself on brink war

Western governments have expressed solidarity with Volodymyr Zelenskiy but behind scenes there has been exasperation

When Volodymyr Zelenskiy sought to become Ukraine's president he stood on a platform of peace. Zelenskiy promised to sit down with Vladimir Putin and to reach a deal with Russia. He would end the unpopular war in the east and concentrate on important domestic reforms. These included ridding the country of corruption and oligarchs.

The plan didn't work out. Nearly three years after winning a landslide victory, Zelenskiy is a president on the brink of war. About 190,000 Russian troops are poised on Ukraine's borders. The US president, Joe Biden, has warned of an attack on Kyiv. A Kremlin military offensive - whether full-scale or more limited in scope - seems likely, possibly within hours or days.