Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has emphasized that U.S. military aid to Ukraine was provided as a “grant,” not a debt, while also expressing his hope that Donald Trump will support Ukraine in negotiations to end the war.
Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv ahead of the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Zelenskyy rejected U.S. pressure to sign a $500 billion minerals deal. He dismissed the notion that this sum was a form of “payback” for previous U.S. military assistance, noting that America’s actual military aid amounted to $100 billion. He also pointed out that both parties in the U.S. Congress, along with then-President Joe Biden, had approved the aid as a grant, not a loan requiring repayment.
“I won’t sign something that 10 generations of Ukrainians will have to pay off,” he stated.
Zelenskyy stressed that any agreement must include U.S. security guarantees to prevent Russia from violating a future ceasefire—something Washington has yet to offer. He also revealed the steep financial terms the U.S. is seeking to impose: for every $1 of future military aid, Ukraine would have to pay back $2—an effective 100% interest rate. He noted that such conditions had not been applied to Israel, the UAE, Qatar, or Saudi Arabia and said he had requested an explanation but received none.
Despite these tensions, Zelenskyy reaffirmed his desire for strong, friendly relations with the U.S., which he described as a “strategic partner.” He brushed off Trump’s recent remark calling him a “dictator” for postponing elections during wartime. “Why should I be offended? A dictator would be offended by being called a dictator,” he quipped, highlighting that he had won the 2019 election with 73% of the vote.
He also reiterated that he was willing to step down as president if it would guarantee peace for Ukraine or secure NATO membership—something opposed by the U.S. and some NATO allies. “I don’t plan to stay in power for decades. But we also won’t allow Putin to remain in power over Ukrainian territory,” he said. “What matters is what Ukrainians think of me.”
The press conference took place just hours after Russia launched its largest aerial assault on Ukraine to date, using 267 drones. At least four people were killed in the attack, while Kyiv echoed with the sounds of anti-aircraft fire as crews scrambled to intercept the incoming drones. Ukraine’s air force reported that three ballistic missiles were also fired.
Zelenskyy cited the attack as proof that holding elections under wartime conditions was unrealistic. “How can we organize elections in Sumy? Should we send election observers to Pokrovsk?” he asked, referencing two frontline cities under constant Russian bombardment. He also suggested that Russia’s claims that he was “illegitimate” were part of a wider disinformation campaign, pointing out that elections are prohibited under martial law and that soldiers in the trenches cannot vote.
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on Saturday that Trump was “very confident” a peace deal could be reached as early as “this week.” Steve Witkoff, one of Trump’s special envoys, suggested in a separate interview with CBS News that a key motivation for the U.S. in pushing for peace was the prospect of American businesses resuming operations in Russia, despite current sanctions. “If a peace deal is reached, there would be an expectation that American companies could return. Everyone would agree that would be a positive development,” Witkoff told Face the Nation.
U.S. and Russian negotiators are expected to hold a second round of talks following last week’s meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
However, Zelenskyy insisted that a meaningful peace agreement could not be reached without Ukraine’s participation, nor the involvement of the EU, the UK, and other key allies. “Ending the war without Ukraine at the table is impossible,” he stated. He warned that any U.S.-Russia agreement made without Ukrainian input would fail to bring lasting peace.
He also acknowledged that Ukraine would lose 20% of its international military aid if the Trump administration halted all deliveries. Ukraine is still awaiting weapons promised at last summer’s NATO summit in Washington and needs an additional 20 Patriot missile batteries—costing $30 billion—to counter ongoing Russian attacks.
Zelenskyy welcomed efforts by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, who are scheduled to meet with Trump this week. “Of course, the UK must be part of these discussions,” he said, adding that he expects a European summit to follow their meetings to address security guarantees for Ukraine.
Comments
Post a Comment