Zelensky Calls for Regime Change in Russia at Helsinki Conference

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the international community to push for regime change in Russia, warning that President Vladimir Putin would otherwise continue efforts to destabilize neighboring countries. Zelensky made the comments during a virtual address to a conference hosted by Finland, marking 50 years since the signing of the Helsinki Final Act—a landmark Cold War-era agreement aimed at improving East-West relations.

Zelensky emphasized that Russia could be compelled to end the ongoing war in Ukraine, stating that since it initiated the conflict, it can also be forced to stop it. He warned, however, that merely ending the war would not prevent future threats from Moscow unless the current regime is replaced.

The Ukrainian leader also used the platform to call for the confiscation—and not just the freezing—of Russian assets held abroad. He argued that these funds, including wealth amassed through corruption, should be repurposed to support Ukraine’s defense and broader peace efforts, rather than remaining idle.

While Zelensky had been invited to attend the conference in person, he delivered his address remotely. The event brought renewed attention to the Helsinki Final Act, signed on August 1, 1975, by 35 nations including the Soviet Union and the United States. The agreement established principles such as the sovereignty of states, the non-use of force, and most notably, the inviolability of borders—commitments that Zelensky noted have been deeply undermined by Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

He criticized what he described as a prevailing ideology in Russia under Putin’s leadership, where national borders are defined by ambition rather than international law. According to Zelensky, such a mindset poses a long-term threat to the stability of Europe and beyond.

Zelensky Highlights Rising Tensions as Russia Withdraws from OSCE and Finland Closes Border

Despite Kyiv’s calls for Russia to be expelled from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)—an institution born out of the Helsinki Accords—Russia remains a member state. In July 2024, however, Russian lawmakers voted to suspend their participation in the OSCE’s parliamentary assembly, denouncing the body as anti-Russian and discriminatory.

Russia did not send high-level representatives to the Helsinki conference. Its foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed participation without elaborating on the delegation’s makeup.

The host nation Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometre (830-mile) border with Russia, closed that frontier in December 2023. The closure followed the arrival of about 1,000 undocumented migrants, which Helsinki claimed was a coordinated move by Moscow—an allegation the Kremlin has denied.

The conference served as both a reflection on the past aspirations of peace and cooperation and a stark reminder of the current geopolitical tensions threatening European stability.