Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in a broadcast interview on Monday that the United States was attempting to “please” Moscow in discussions about Ukraine and expressed concerns about Europe’s military vulnerability.
Reacting to recent conciliatory remarks from US officials towards Russia, Zelensky said, “The US is currently saying things very favorable to Putin… because they want to please him.”
“They want a quick resolution, a swift victory. But what they are asking for — ‘just a ceasefire’ — isn’t a victory,” Zelensky said in an interview recorded on Saturday in Munich, as translated by ARD.
Zelensky’s remarks came after US President Donald Trump made headlines by announcing a direct conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, discussing the possibility of swiftly ending the war in Ukraine. Additionally, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seemed to dismiss Ukraine’s NATO membership and the potential of reclaiming territory lost to Russia since 2014.
On the potential terms of any future deal, Zelensky said, “We will not sign anything just for the sake of applause” and emphasized that “the future of our state for generations is at stake.” He firmly rejected the idea of surrendering Ukrainian land occupied by Russia, stating, “We will reclaim it all.”
The interview aired as European leaders met in Paris to discuss the next steps. Zelensky recorded his comments during the Munich Security Conference, which concluded on Sunday. He also cautioned that Europe was in a precarious position if it couldn’t rely on the US for security.
While acknowledging improvements in European readiness, Zelensky argued that “in terms of troop strength, combat units, fleets, air forces, drones… I honestly think Europe is weak today.”
Zelensky noted that Ukraine had become more resilient over the past three years and stated, “Putin won’t be able to occupy us the way he wanted.”
However, he made it clear that “there will definitely be no Ukrainian victory without US support.”
Zelensky also revealed that he and Trump had discussed the possibility of deploying foreign troops to monitor a future ceasefire. “I told him the Americans should be part of this, because without them, we might lose our unity,” he said.
At a meeting in Brussels last week, Hegseth rejected the idea of deploying US troops to Ukraine.
When asked whether he would step down as president for the sake of an agreement, Zelensky responded, “For peace, I am prepared to do anything.” He added, “If tomorrow Ukraine were accepted into the EU and NATO, if Russian troops withdrew and we received security guarantees, I wouldn’t be needed anymore.”
