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Zelensky says he is ready to resign | Zelensky says he is ready to resign |
(about 5 hours later) | |
The Ukrainian leader has said he is ready to step down if it means an end of the conflict with Russia | |
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has expressed his readiness to “exchange” his position for NATO membership and step down if it is necessary to achieve peace in Ukraine. | Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has expressed his readiness to “exchange” his position for NATO membership and step down if it is necessary to achieve peace in Ukraine. |
Speaking at the ‘Ukraine. Year 2025’ forum in Kiev on Saturday, Zelensky said he does not intend to remain in power for many years. | |
“If peace for Ukraine, if you really need me to leave my post, then I’m ready. I can exchange this for NATO, if there are such conditions. I am focusing on the security of Ukraine today, not in 20 years, and I do not intend to be in power for decades,” Zelensky stated. | |
The Ukrainian leader also touched upon the ongoing row with the US regarding a proposed rare-earths deal, in which Washington is seeking reimbursement for the military aid it has provided with earnings from Ukraine’s natural resources. | |
Zelensky confirmed he received the proposed deal, introduced by Washington after the first draft was shot down by Kiev, which involves a sum of $500 billion. | |
“It became clear that we are talking about a debt, that this is not an investment... If this money goes to the fund, and nothing comes from abroad, then we are paying off the debt,” Zelensky stated. | “It became clear that we are talking about a debt, that this is not an investment... If this money goes to the fund, and nothing comes from abroad, then we are paying off the debt,” Zelensky stated. |
“We had 100 [billion]. I am not ready to pay off 500 [billion]. And I am not even ready to fix it at the 100 [billion mark], because I will not recognize grants as debts. We should not pay off the debt,” he added. | “We had 100 [billion]. I am not ready to pay off 500 [billion]. And I am not even ready to fix it at the 100 [billion mark], because I will not recognize grants as debts. We should not pay off the debt,” he added. |
Paying off amounts such as this would put ten generations of Ukrainians in debt, which means the deal is completely unacceptable, Zelensky said. | |
Zelensky’s presidential term expired in May 2024; critics have accused the Ukrainian leader of seeking to prolong the hostility in order to cling on power. Moscow has said it does not regard him as a legitimate representative of the country and that he lacks the power to sign any comprehensive peace deal. This week, Trump pointed to Zelensky’s shaky legal position as well, branding him a “dictator without elections” and claiming that he currently has an extremely low approval rating in his country. |