Zelenskyy is willing to resign in exchange for peace and NAD membership in Ukraine
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Volodymyr Zelenskyy said for the first time that he would resign as Ukrainian president if the move ensures NATO membership or lasting peace.
“If this brings peace to Ukraine, if you really need me to leave the post, I’m ready. I can switch to NATO [membership],” Zelenskyy told reporters at a press conference in Kiev on Sunday. “If this is the case [I will step down] Immediately. ”
“I’m focusing on security today, not for 20 years. . . I won’t be in power for decades,” Zelensky said on Monday ahead of the third anniversary of the Russian mature invasion of Ukraine.
Given the dim prospect of NATO’s joining, while it is impossible to resign, it is a sign of the immense pressure from Ukrainian leaders on reaching a peace agreement with Moscow.
The Trump administration agreed to normalize relations after bilateral talks in Saudi Arabia last week, agreeing to normalize relations in NATO membership in Ukraine.
Trump last week described Zelenskyy as a “dictator” while accusing Kiev rather than Moscow of starting the war.
Russia launched its largest drone strike against Ukraine on Sunday, launching 267 drones against multiple targets across the country.
Ukrainian officials said Washington also attempted to sign a deal that would grant the U.S. substantial gains from withdrawing Ukrainian mineral deposits.
U.S. officials proposed a plan to Kyiv last week that would bring the benefits of resource extraction up to $50 billion, and the fund would be 100% owned by the U.S. Trump described the plan as a repayment of previous U.S. military aid.
Zelenskyy opposes the Trump administration’s demands.
“I know we have $10 billion [of assistance from the US] But no matter what someone says, I won’t admit $50 billion. “Zelenskyy said. “I won’t sign what ten generations of Ukrainians have to pay.” ”
Zelenskyy also rejected U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s claim in the Financial Times that a “partnership” between minerals and the United States will strengthen Ukraine’s security.
Zelenksyy challenged “some logic” in Washington that the existence of U.S. companies would prevent further Russian aggression, noting that several U.S. businesses were operating in Ukraine when Russia first attacked Russia in 2014.
“This does not provide 100% guarantee that the Russians will not return [US companies] Already in,” Zelenskyy added.
Zelenskyy said NATO’s Ukrainian membership is the ultimate security guarantee against future Russian military aggression. But, the Trump administration said at a Munich security conference last weekend that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he “does not believe that Ukraine’s NATO membership is a realistic result of negotiations to reach a settlement.”
He also ruled out deployment of U.S. troops in Ukraine after the war with Russia ended, which Zelenskyy said on Sunday he wanted to see as part of a deal for rare and critical minerals, i.e. his administration is in talks with the White House.
The Trump administration argues that a deal will intensify post-war growth in the country, but Kiev has retreated. Zelenskyy said on Sunday that, as Washington now proposes, it is too expensive to provide adequate security guarantees.
Zelenskyy said he firmly believes that Trump “want to end this war and will help us do that” but was also worried that the U.S. president simply presents the ceasefire as a “huge success.”
“We want to keep our people safe,” he said.
