Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke in an interview with the Associated Press about security guarantees, options for ending the war, and relations between Ukraine and the United States. Babel collected the main points.
Negotiations without Kyivʼs participation
Zelensky warned the US President Donald Trump against negotiations on a settlement of the war in Ukraine with the participation of Moscow, but without Kyiv.
On January 31, Trump said he was having “very serious discussions” with Russia about ending the war, but did not explain what exactly he meant. Zelensky noted that Russia and the United States may have their own relationship, but talking about Ukraine without Ukraine is “dangerous for everyone”.
The Ukrainian side has already been in contact with the Trump administration, but these discussions have been at a “general level”. Zelensky believes that personal meetings will soon take place to work out more detailed agreements. He believes that first he should talk to Trump, and only then should he move on to contacts with the Russian side.
"And I would like to see the United States, Ukraine, and the Russians at the negotiating table.... And, frankly, the voice of the European Union should also be present. I think it would be fair, effective. But how will it work out? I donʼt know," Zelensky says.
The visit of Trumpʼs special envoy Keith Kellogg to Kyiv, which was scheduled for early January, has been postponed "for legal reasons", Zelensky said.
European Peacekeeping Mission in Ukraine
Ukraine supports the idea of sending European peacekeepers, but only as one of the security options, not the only one.
Zelensky believes NATO membership is the best security option for Ukraine. In addition, Zelensky noted that Ukraineʼs 800,000-strong army would be a bonus for the Alliance; especially if Trump wants to bring home American troops stationed abroad.
Meanwhile, other security guarantees will require defense support from the United States and Europe. Zelensky noted that the idea of a European peacekeeping mission “remains a lot of questions”, including the command and administrative structure, the number of troops, and their positions.
"Imagine, there is a contingent. The question is who is responsible? Who is in charge? What will they do if there are Russian strikes? Missiles, landing, attack from the sea, crossing the land border, offensive. What will they do? What powers do they have?" asks the Ukrainian president.
Trumpʼs plans for war in Ukraine
During his election campaign, Trump claimed that he could end the war between Russia and Ukraine “in one day”. However, after being elected president, his narratives changed. The American newspaper The Wall Street Journal writes that he instructed special envoy Keith Kellogg to end the war in Ukraine in 100 days.
Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly stressed that Ukraine will defend its integrity and will not cede its territories to Russia. In September 2024, Zelensky met with Donald Trump and presented him with a victory plan. According to the Ukrainian leader, the meeting was very meaningful.
The new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that under Donald Trumpʼs presidency, ending the Russia-Ukraine war will be the official policy of the United States. And Trump himself, two days after his inauguration, called on Putin to end the war or face heavy taxes and sanctions.
According to Zelensky, he is impressed by Trumpʼs tactics for ending the war in Ukraine.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.