Zelensky after scandalous meeting with Trump: ceasefire with Russia will not guarantee security
A ceasefire without guarantees is not an option
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in an exclusive interview with the US TV channel Fox News after a stormy meeting with US President Donald Trump, said that a ceasefire agreement with Russia alone will not stop Vladimir Putin from launching new attacks against Ukraine. “I cannot tell my people to stop fighting. No one will stop because everyone is afraid that tomorrow Putin will come back”, he stressed, underlining that Ukrainians want peace more than anyone else, but that it must be real, based on strong security guarantees.
Scandalous meeting at the White House
A meeting at the White House between Mr Zelensky, Mr Trump and his advisers ended in conflict. US Vice-President Vance accused the Ukrainian leader of disrespect and ingratitude for the billions of dollars of American support, while Trump said that Mr Zelensky did not have a strong case for peace talks. The Ukrainian President responded by recalling how Putin has repeatedly broken agreements with Ukraine. These disagreements took place in front of a large group of journalists. After the meeting, Mr Trump decided that Mr Zelensky was not ready for peace and told him to leave the White House.
Trump: ‘Ceasefire is possible immediately’
After the meeting, US President Trump told reporters that he wants an immediate peace agreement rather than a decade of war. “A ceasefire can be reached immediately”, he said, adding that the meeting with Mr Zelensky had been a failure. Mr Trump called the Ukrainian leader a man who “wants to go to war, war and more war” and urged him to step up his efforts to make peace and start negotiations.
Zelensky: “Peace is not just the end of war”
In response to Trump’s accusations, Mr Zelensky stressed in an interview with Fox News that the US desire for peace is understandable, but the expectations of the Ukrainian people must be taken into account. “Peace is not just the absence of war”, he said, quoting former US President Ronald Reagan. The Ukrainian leader stressed that Europe needs US assurances that Western peacekeepers will be able to operate in Ukraine in the aftermath of the war and underlined the need for long-term security.
Resource agreement a path to cooperation
V. Zelensky also referred to the readiness to sign an agreement with the US on the extraction of rare metals and energy resources, a topic that has been raised repeatedly by Mr Trump. “This could be a first step towards security guarantees”, he said, stressing that such guarantees are an essential condition for any diplomatic contacts with Russia.
Are relations with Trump still repairable?
Commenting on the strained relations with Trump, Mr Zelensky said that they could still be salvaged. “The Americans have made a great contribution to saving the Ukrainians, the historical ties between our peoples are strong”, he said. Asked if he had any plans to apologise to Trump, the Ukrainian President replied diplomatically: “I respect the President and the American people, but we have to be open. I don’t see that we have done anything wrong. Maybe we could discuss some details without journalists, but I respect democracy and freedom of the press. The most important thing is to understand Ukraine’s position because we are close partners.”
