Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has strongly rejected any peace deal between the United States and Russia without Ukraine, insisting that his nation needs to be involved directly in the talks to end the war.
“I will never approve of any US-Russian decisions regarding Ukraine never,” Zelenskyy said in an NBC News interview at the Munich Security Conference. “This war is against us, and we are the ones that are experiencing human losses.”
Zelenskyy indicated that the influence of former US President Donald Trump was sufficient to compel Russian President Vladimir Putin to enter ceasefire negotiations but cautioned against trusting the Russian leader. “Putin is a liar. He doesn’t want peace,” he told US leaders, urging them to be wary.
The president of Ukraine also raised questions regarding the stability of NATO, and he warned that Putin may be looking for an erosion of the alliance. “If the US is going to pull its military presence out of Europe, Russia would start expanding its territorial goals,” he warned. “I don’t know if they would take 30 percent of Europe, 50 percent nobody knows. But they will have the option.”
Zelenskyy urged the establishment of a European army, claiming that the continent should be able to defend itself on its own. “The time has come. The Armed Forces of Europe must be created,” he stated, although previous attempts at establishing a common European military have had difficulty gaining momentum.
His comments came as Washington made a statement on the meeting of top US, Russian, and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia to talk about the war. Trump, on the other hand, unveiled plans for a forthcoming meeting with Putin to broker a resolution to the war.
As US Vice President JD Vance promised Ukraine all the support and a “durable, lasting peace,” Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth indicated Ukraine’s entry into NATO and complete restoration of its territory were unlikely.
