Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized late Sunday that effective security guarantees to end Russia’s war against Ukraine would require the involvement of the United States.
He also expressed hope for a meeting with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump soon after his inauguration.
During an interview with U.S. podcaster Lex Fridman, Zelenskyy commended Trump, who has pledged to quickly end the war without detailing his approach.
He noted that Ukrainians were looking to the incoming U.S. president to pressure Moscow into agreeing to a durable peace.
Nearly three years after Russia’s invasion, Trump’s return to the White House on January 20 has sparked both optimism for a diplomatic resolution and concerns in Kyiv that a swift peace could come with significant compromises.
In the three-hour interview, published on YouTube, Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s desire for NATO membership and stressed that a ceasefire without robust security guarantees would only give Russia an opportunity to regroup and prepare for future aggression.
The Ukrainian president highlighted the critical role of the U.S. in providing these guarantees, asserting that he and Trump shared a common vision of achieving “peace through strength” to end the conflict.
“Without the United States, security guarantees are not possible. I mean these security guarantees that can prevent Russian aggression,” Zelenskyy stated.
He also expressed the need for a direct dialogue with Trump to chart a path forward to halt Russia’s actions.
Additionally, Zelenskyy emphasized that European governments must be involved in shaping this process before Ukraine could engage in direct negotiations with Russia.