Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi would like a compromise on security guarantees. According to Zelensky, Ukraine will not be accepted into NATO because of fears about Russia.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi has opened up why he wants to negotiate an end to the war himself with the Russian president Vladimir Putin with. Zelenskyi spoke about the issue in an interview with European public service broadcasters on Monday in Kiev.
So far, Ukraine and Russia have discussed a possible ceasefire and peace between the negotiating teams.
Zelenskyi said in an interview that it would be important for him to meet with Putin to let Ukraine know if Russia wants to end the war.
– Without this meeting, it is impossible to understand where they are ready to end this war and what they are ready to do if we do not agree to some compromises, Zelenskyi said.
According to him, Russia can not resolve the matter with threatening demands, because the Ukrainians can not agree to such.
– Threat demands lead to genocide.
According to Zelensky, Russia can take over the city, but people either leave the city or those who cannot leave fight to the end. That is why we need to negotiate.
– We hate the forces that are destroying us and killing our people, but if we want peace, we have to sit down and talk.
Security guarantees for NATO countries
The President of Ukraine emphasized the importance of international pressure and economic sanctions on Russia. Zelenskyi believes that together with Western countries, Ukraine can stop anyone from attacking.
Zelenskyi listed the steps that should be taken next. A ceasefire must be agreed first. The presidents will then have to meet and agree that troops will be withdrawn and that Ukraine will receive security guarantees.
Zelenskyi called on NATO countries to take a clear stand on Ukraine’s possible NATO membership. At the same time, Zelenskyi wondered what kind of security guarantees Ukraine could get.
– We will not be accepted into NATO because they are afraid of Russia. That is why we need other security guarantees.
According to Zelensky, there are NATO members who want to guarantee the security of Ukraine. Zelenskyi believes that these countries cannot offer Ukraine full membership, but are ready to do whatever the alliance would do if Ukraine were a member of NATO.
– I think this is a compromise for everyone: the West, which does not know what to do with us on the NATO issue, Ukraine, which wants security guarantees, and Russia, which does not want NATO to expand from the current one, Zelenskyi said.
Zelenskyi also believes that when it comes to security guarantees, changes to the Ukrainian constitution are needed. Some of the historic changes, he said, call for a referendum.
NATO will hold an extraordinary summit on Thursday in Brussels over the war in Ukraine. The meeting will also be attended by the President of the United States Joe Biden.
Settlement of Crimea and Eastern Ukraine later
The reporter also asked Zelensky how the issue of the Crimean peninsula and the territories of eastern Ukraine recognized as independent by Russia should be resolved.
Zelenskyi replied that the question is very difficult. To find the answer, we must first end the war and resolve the issue of Ukraine’s security guarantees.
– At the same time, it should be agreed that we resolve the issue of temporarily occupied territories. It must be resolved, but after the end of the war.
Zelenskyi says he sleeps well, albeit a little
The President of Ukraine also answered a question from a journalist about how he himself is currently doing. Zelenskyi said she was healthy, fully understood what was going on, and made decisions calmly.
The reporter also asked, among other things, whether Zelenskyi sleeps well and whether he has time to read.
Zelenskyi replied that he sleeps well, although he sleeps a little, as usual. He said he was more focused than usual because so many things depend on him.
Zelenskyi said he is currently unable to read fiction. Right on the second page of the book, he begins to think about what is happening in Ukraine.
– The head, the brain is blocked by other things, decisions. It’s hard to relax, Zelenskyi said.