Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said any peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump must not only stop the war but also prevent further Russian aggression. Speaking in an interview aired on Sunday, Zelenskyy insisted that security guarantees must accompany any settlement to avoid a repeat of past failed negotiations.
“A frozen conflict will only lead to renewed aggression,” Zelenskyy said to ITV. “Ending the war is not enough Trump must ensure that Putin has no opportunity to wage war on us again.”
He again said he was ready to start talks with Russia but emphasized that without security guarantees from Ukraine’s Western allies, the US and the European Union, he was not ready to negotiate. “If I knew that America and Europe would not abandon us and would offer security guarantees, I’d be open to any format of talks,” he said.
Zelenskyy ruled out the possibility of holding elections amid the conflict and said that holding elections would demand the country return to a suspended state of martial law, a step he described as “ruining the idea of our army.” “If we suspend martial law, we lose the army, and the Russians would be pleased,” he noted.
Last week, Zelenskyy told Reuters that Ukraine would provide rare earth minerals to the US if Washington continues providing economic and military assistance. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials were consulting with Keith Kellogg, the special envoy for Ukraine and Russia for President Donald Trump.
Trump announced on Friday that he is likely to meet Zelenskyy next week to discuss a potential peace deal. Reports also suggested Trump had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the war, though Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to confirm or deny the claim.
