Egypt Daily News – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated today, Sunday, that he is willing to step down from his position if it means achieving peace in Ukraine, jokingly adding that he could leave in exchange for Ukraine’s accession to NATO.
Zelensky added that he wants former U.S. President Donald Trump to be a partner to Ukraine rather than just a mediator between Kyiv and Moscow.
He continued, saying, “I really want you to be more than just a mediator, that is not enough.”
Deployment of U.S. Troops
The Ukrainian president stated that deploying U.S. troops in Ukraine would make sense if a minerals agreement between the two countries were considered part of security guarantees.
He also noted that the $15 billion in military aid previously pledged by Washington has not yet been delivered.
No Agreement Without Guarantees
Zelensky emphasized that the minerals agreement with Washington is contingent on reliable security guarantees, adding that Kyiv would not approve the deal without such assurances. However, he hinted at progress in negotiations over the minerals agreement with the U.S., urging Trump to understand Ukraine’s security needs.
“I know how to make deals with serious people,” Zelensky stressed.
Summit with Trump
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian president insisted that he must meet with his American counterpart to discuss an agreement granting Washington access to Ukraine’s natural resources before any summit between Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
During a press conference in Kyiv, Zelensky stated that to reach an agreement addressing Ukraine’s security concerns, “we will need to hold a meeting and discuss the issue. I believe this meeting should be fair, meaning it should take place before Trump’s meeting with Putin.”
Trump’s Peace Plan
These statements came after Trump and his Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, hinted at the outlines of a peace plan between Russia and Ukraine to end the war that has been ongoing since February 22, 2022, while criticizing the enormous sums the U.S. has spent to support Kyiv.
In recent days, President Trump suggested that Ukraine’s NATO membership is now unlikely—an issue Moscow has long insisted on as a condition for resolving the conflict.
He also pointed out that Ukraine’s return to its pre-2014 borders has become distant and unrealistic, hinting at the possibility of relinquishing Crimea, which Russia took control of in 2014, and perhaps also parts of eastern Ukraine.
Meanwhile, signs of this plan have raised concerns in Europe, particularly as it marks a fundamental shift from the policy previously adopted by the U.S. administration in supporting Kyiv militarily, financially, and politically. Several European Union countries have asserted that no concessions should be made to Moscow before negotiations even begin.
