'Exceeds all diplomatic limits': Kanwal Sibal on Zelenskyy's below-the-belt Christmas message targeting Putin
His take came after Zelenskyy accused New Delhi and the United Arab Emirates, among other countries, of applying double standards after India said that it was "deeply concerned" over reports suggesting that Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence was targeted.
- Dec 31, 2025,
- Updated Dec 31, 2025 12:17 PM IST
Kanwal Sibal, the former Foreign Secretary of India, had a strong message for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a social media post. Sibal took the Ukrainian President to task for "implicitly wishing" for Putin's death in the latter's Christmas message.
His take came after Zelenskyy accused New Delhi and the United Arab Emirates, among other countries, of applying double standards after India said that it was "deeply concerned" over reports suggesting that Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence was targeted.
Urging him to stop playing "PR games", Sibal wrote: "He has been treated like a hero, and this has gone to his head. He seems to have convinced himself that he can continue to manipulate public opinion in his favour as the underdog. Implicitly wishing for Putin's miserable death in his Christmas message to the nation exceeded all diplomatic and even moral norms."
Sibal, who has also served as India's envoy to Russia, said that the deep corruption in Zelenskyy's entourage has been exposed as his right-hand man resigned recently.
"He has in the past attacked Russia’s early warning nuclear radar and the airfield far in the north where Russia’s nuclear fleet is based. These were dangerous provocations. In this background, the adventurism in targeting Putin’s residence, where apparently a command and control system is also based, would not be surprising. Zelensky’s unwillingness to negotiate an end to the conflict except on his own terms, with full backing from Europe, can trigger an all-out war."
Besides chiding Zelenskyy, he had a warning for US President Donald Trump. Sibal also advised Zelenskyy to have a hard look at himself and to stop blaming India for the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
"The goal seems to be to drag the US into a direct conflict, but Trump has rebuffed these efforts, though he too can’t easily abandon Ukraine to its fate and would prefer a negotiated solution to protect himself domestically and accommodate Europe to some extent. Zelensky should do some serious introspection about his own political course and not blame India. Even Trump, no doubt briefed by his intelligence people, has expressed his unhappiness at the attack in question."
What exactly did Zelenskyy say?
He contrasted the response to reports of Putin's residence being targeted with what he believed was silence over the killing of Ukrainian children by Russian forces.
“You know what honestly causes confusion and, well, uncomfortable feelings? That representatives from India, the Emirates, and several other countries condemned supposed drone strikes on Putin's residence that never even happened,” Zelenskyy told journalists on Christmas.
He further said, "But where's their condemnation? By the way, the condemnation of the fact that they're bombing our children and killing our people this whole time. I don't hear anything from India or the Emirates about that, to be honest."
Kanwal Sibal, the former Foreign Secretary of India, had a strong message for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a social media post. Sibal took the Ukrainian President to task for "implicitly wishing" for Putin's death in the latter's Christmas message.
His take came after Zelenskyy accused New Delhi and the United Arab Emirates, among other countries, of applying double standards after India said that it was "deeply concerned" over reports suggesting that Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence was targeted.
Urging him to stop playing "PR games", Sibal wrote: "He has been treated like a hero, and this has gone to his head. He seems to have convinced himself that he can continue to manipulate public opinion in his favour as the underdog. Implicitly wishing for Putin's miserable death in his Christmas message to the nation exceeded all diplomatic and even moral norms."
Sibal, who has also served as India's envoy to Russia, said that the deep corruption in Zelenskyy's entourage has been exposed as his right-hand man resigned recently.
"He has in the past attacked Russia’s early warning nuclear radar and the airfield far in the north where Russia’s nuclear fleet is based. These were dangerous provocations. In this background, the adventurism in targeting Putin’s residence, where apparently a command and control system is also based, would not be surprising. Zelensky’s unwillingness to negotiate an end to the conflict except on his own terms, with full backing from Europe, can trigger an all-out war."
Besides chiding Zelenskyy, he had a warning for US President Donald Trump. Sibal also advised Zelenskyy to have a hard look at himself and to stop blaming India for the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
"The goal seems to be to drag the US into a direct conflict, but Trump has rebuffed these efforts, though he too can’t easily abandon Ukraine to its fate and would prefer a negotiated solution to protect himself domestically and accommodate Europe to some extent. Zelensky should do some serious introspection about his own political course and not blame India. Even Trump, no doubt briefed by his intelligence people, has expressed his unhappiness at the attack in question."
What exactly did Zelenskyy say?
He contrasted the response to reports of Putin's residence being targeted with what he believed was silence over the killing of Ukrainian children by Russian forces.
“You know what honestly causes confusion and, well, uncomfortable feelings? That representatives from India, the Emirates, and several other countries condemned supposed drone strikes on Putin's residence that never even happened,” Zelenskyy told journalists on Christmas.
He further said, "But where's their condemnation? By the way, the condemnation of the fact that they're bombing our children and killing our people this whole time. I don't hear anything from India or the Emirates about that, to be honest."