(COMBO) This composite of images created on November 7, 2024 shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) arriving in Brussels on October 17, 2024 to hold a press conference during the EU summit , former US President and Republican President, candidate Donald Trump (left) arrives to speak at a campaign rally at J.S. Dorton Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina, on November 4, 2024.
Ludovic Marinryan M. Kelly | Ludovic Marinryan M. Kelly AFP | Getty Images
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said late Sunday that security guarantees for Kiev to end Russia’s war would only be effective if the United States provided them and he hoped to meet U.S. President-elect Donald Trump soon after he takes office.
In an interview with US podcaster Lex Friedman, Zelensky praised the incoming US president and vowed to end the war quickly but did not explain how, saying Ukrainians were counting on him to force Moscow to agree to a lasting peace. .
The election of Trump, who returned to the White House on Jan. 20 nearly three years after Russia invaded, has raised hopes of a diplomatic solution to halt the war, but Kyiv is also concerned that a quick peace could come at a high price.
Zelensky used the three-hour interview posted on YouTube to call for Kyiv to join NATO and stressed his belief that a ceasefire without security in Kiev would only give Russia time to rearm in response to new attacks.
The Ukrainian leader said the White House under Trump had a vital role to play in providing security and asserted that he and the US president-elect shared their views on the need for a “peace through strength” approach to end the conflict. consistent.
“Without the United States, security guarantees are impossible. I mean these security guarantees prevent Russian aggression,” he said.
He said he needs to sit down with Trump to determine a course of action to stop Russia, and European governments need to have a say in the process before Kyiv can sit down for direct negotiations with Russia.
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