Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has taken a strong stance against the United States’ recent efforts to make peace with Russia, criticizing Washington for trying to “please” Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelensky expressed his frustration with U.S. officials’ comments, which he felt were overly favorable to Putin.
In his words, the U.S. wants to “meet quickly and have a quick win” in their talks with Russia, but what they are aiming for—a mere ceasefire—is not enough for Ukraine.
“We will not sign anything just to be applauded,” Zelensky said, stressing that Ukraine’s future is at stake.
He made it clear that a deal that doesn’t fully respect Ukraine’s sovereignty or future security is not something his country would accept.
Europe’s Military Weakness
Zelensky also took aim at Europe, pointing out that the continent remains militarily “weak” and unprepared to confront further aggression from Russia.
While he acknowledged that European readiness has improved in recent years, he noted that Europe would be significantly weaker without the security support from the U.S., which has indicated it may scale back its involvement.
According to Zelensky, Europe lacks the strength in troops, fleets, and air forces to defend itself effectively without U.S. assistance.
The U.S. Shift in Foreign Policy
Recently, former U.S. President Donald Trump made headlines with his direct conversation with Putin, offering a potential path to end the war in Ukraine.
This marked a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy, which had previously isolated Russia. U.S. officials have described the recent talks in Riyadh as an effort to assess whether Russia is genuinely interested in peace.
However, the Kremlin sees the discussions as an opportunity to improve U.S.-Russia relations, expanding the focus beyond Ukraine.
This new direction could pave the way for a summit between Trump and Putin, with the intention of reversing the U.S. policy on Russia.
Ukrainian officials, however, have made it clear that they will not accept any agreements made without their involvement.
Zelensky said Ukraine cannot recognize any deals about the country that don’t involve them directly.
Zelensky’s Stance on Ukraine’s Future
Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine has become more resilient over the past three years, making it much harder for Putin to occupy the country as he originally planned.
However, the Ukrainian president also made it clear that victory cannot be achieved without continued U.S. support.
In a recent conversation with Trump, Zelensky suggested that the U.S. should play a role in monitoring any future ceasefire to ensure the unity of Ukraine and its allies is maintained.
Zelensky also spoke about the possibility of stepping down for peace, saying he would do whatever it takes to secure Ukraine’s future.
He even stated that if Ukraine were to join the EU and NATO, and Russian forces withdrew, he would no longer be needed as president.
Russia’s Stubborn Stance on Territorial Concessions
On the other hand, Russia remains firm in its position, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declaring that Moscow has no intention of giving up the territories it has seized in Ukraine.
He dismissed the idea of territorial concessions, asking rhetorically, “What sort of territorial concessions do you want— that we give up Russian speakers or rare earths?”
Lavrov’s comments came as he met U.S. officials in Riyadh, ahead of a potential meeting between Putin and Trump to discuss the war in Ukraine.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leading the American delegation to Saudi Arabia to further explore ways to end the conflict.
In this context, both sides seem to be preparing for critical talks, with the hope of finding a resolution that could change the course of the war.
However, Ukraine is resolute in its demand for a peace process that ensures its sovereignty is respected.
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