section_path: Presidency/Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022–present)/Phase 3: counteroffensive and annexations 2022, 6 September – 31 December
section_name: Phase 3: counteroffensive and annexations 2022, 6 September – 31 December
paragraph_text: Phase 3: counteroffensive and annexations 2022, 6 September – 31 December
  
  Speaking about the 2022 Russian mobilization, Zelenskyy called on Russians to not submit to "criminal mobilization," saying: "Russian commanders do not care about the lives of Russians — they just need to replenish the empty spaces left" by killed and wounded Russian soldiers. Following Putin's announcement of Russia annexing four regions of Ukrainian territory it had seized during its invasion, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine would not hold peace talks with Russia while Putin was president.
  
  On 25 September 2022, Zelenskyy said that Putin's threats to use nuclear weapons "could be a reality." He added that Putin "wants to scare the whole world" with nuclear blackmail. He also said that Putin is aware that the "world will never forgive" a Russian nuclear strike. When asked what kind of relationship Ukrainians and Ukraine will have with Russia after the war, Zelenskyy replied that "They took too many people, too many lives. The society will not forgive them," adding that "It will be the choice of our society whether to talk to them, or not to talk at all, and for how many years, tens of years or more." On 21 December 2022, Zelenskyy visited the United States on his first foreign trip since the war began. He met with President Joe Biden and addressed Congress delivering his full speech in English. The United States announced they would supply Patriot missiles to Ukraine as had been requested.
  
  By 31 December the Battle of Soledar had been decided and on 16 January 2023 Russian forces secured control of the town.