Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared on Sunday that he would resign if his country were granted NATO membership or if his departure would lead to a peace agreement with Russia.
Zelensky, who transitioned from a comedian to the president of Ukraine in 2019, made this surprising statement during a news briefing in response to a reporter’s inquiry.
When asked whether he would be willing to step down — particularly as President Trump has been calling for new elections — the 47-year-old leader answered, “Yes, I am happy, if it is for the peace of Ukraine.”
Zelensky emphasized that continuing as president for another five-year term was never his “dream.”
“If you need me to leave this chair, I am ready to do that, and I also can exchange it for NATO membership for Ukraine,” he said to the reporters.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Zelensky has consistently appeared on the international stage, frequently visiting Washington, D.C.
The United States has provided Ukraine with nearly $66 billion in military aid since the war’s onset, a sum that President Trump has suggested could be recovered through deals to exploit Ukraine’s vast natural resources.
Zelensky maintained a close relationship with former President Biden, but his rapport with Trump has been much more strained, with both leaders often exchanging sharp critiques.
Just last week, Trump referred to Zelensky as a “dictator,” just one day after a U.S. delegation met with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia.
“A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “In the meantime, we are successfully negotiating an end to the War with Russia, something all admit only ‘TRUMP,’ and the Trump Administration, can do.”
During his press conference, Zelensky explained that holding elections in Ukraine while the war continues would be practically impossible.
He pointed out that eight million Ukrainians have been displaced due to the conflict, and military personnel cannot vote while deployed. Additionally, he mentioned that areas under Russian occupation would not be able to conduct free and fair elections.
“We understand all of those challenges. Unfortunately, our partners are being told disinformation,” Zelensky commented regarding the lack of elections.
“I don’t want to believe that President Trump thinks like that by himself,” Zelensky remarked, hinting that Russian allies may be influencing Trump or his close associates.
Later in the week, Trump backtracked on earlier incorrect statements he made about Ukraine “starting” the war with Russia, but he continued to assert that Putin could have been convinced to avoid invading Ukraine.
“Russia attacked, but they shouldn’t have let them attack, because they wouldn’t have attacked if you had people that knew what they were doing,” Trump stated. “Joe Biden is a very dumb man … He had no idea what he was doing and everything he said was wrong.
“And I will tell you, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin could have been talked out of that so easy, but they didn’t know how to talk.”
Zelensky responded on Sunday, suggesting that Trump should meet with him before having talks with Putin, who has expressed a desire to control all of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has been negotiating with Ukraine for access to the country’s rich mineral resources, which would help fund U.S. military aid.
Retired General Keith Kellogg, one of the few Trump officials still supporting Zelensky, recently visited Ukraine to work out the terms of the deal.
After his meeting with Zelensky, Kellogg publicly praised the Ukrainian president as “courageous,” though he did not confirm whether an agreement had been reached.
Soon after, Trump announced at the White House that the U.S. and Ukraine were “signing an agreement, hopefully in the next fairly short period of time.”
A spokesperson for Zelensky’s office told The NY Post, “Any deal that can be made has to be mutually beneficial,” despite concerns among senior Ukrainian officials who view such an arrangement as a potential exploitation.
{Matzav.com}