Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has said he is willing to resign if it means achieving peace.
He added that he would also trade his position for Ukraine’s NATO membership.
“I am ready to leave my post if it brings peace. Or exchange it for NATO,” Zelenskyy said at the ‘Ukraine. Year 2025.’ forum in Kyiv on Sunday.
He added that he is focused on security issues, rather than the situation in 20 years.
“I don’t plan to be in power for 10 years,” he told journalists at the event.
The president also announced a major international summit scheduled for Monday, the third anniversary of the war’s outbreak. He said the leaders of 13 ally nations would attend as well as a further 24 participating online and hinted that the talks may lead to a breakthrough.
“Tomorrow’s summit is crucial,” he said, as reported by the Kyiv Post. “It might even be a turning point—we’ll see.”
Reuters reported that Zelenskyy also said he hoped the U.S. would be a partner for Ukraine rather than just a peace broker.
“I really want it to be more than just mediation... that's not enough,” he said.
The U.S. has made bold diplomatic moves in recent weeks in an effort to bring Moscow to the negotiating table. These efforts have left out Ukraine and Europe, leading to a high-profile war of words between Zelenskyy and his American counterpart, Donald Trump, last week.
Trump accused Zelenskyy of being a “dictator” as his term of office has expired but elections are forbidden in Ukraine during martial law. Zelenskyy has vowed to hold elections as soon as practical after the cessation of hostilities.
