Zelenskyy on Ukraine's War End Hopes, Security Guarantees, and EU Membership

Negotiation Strategy & European Unity

• 💡 President Zelenskyy emphasized the need for European coordination in negotiations to prevent Russia from playing countries against each other.
• 🎯 He believes a united front involving Europe, the United States, Russia, and Ukraine at the same table offers the best chance to end the war.
• ⚠️ Zelenskyy warned that Russian President Putin aims to divide Europe by offering individual "prizes" or "sweets" to different nations.

War Duration & Personal Resilience

• 🌱 Zelenskyy expressed hope that the war could end during this year, acknowledging that much depends on leadership and societal support.
• 🧠 He admitted to being tired but stressed the collective determination of Ukrainians to continue fighting to save their country and defend their rights.
• 👏 The President highlighted the crucial role of French people's support for Ukraine, hoping it will not decrease.

Key Demands & Russian Obstacles

• 🧩 Zelenskyy views Russia's change of negotiators as a delay tactic and expects the US to prevent Russia from restarting negotiations from scratch.
• ✅ Ukraine's negotiation points include accepting a monitoring mission for a ceasefire and facilitating the exchange of war prisoners, noting Ukraine holds over 4,000.
• ❌ He firmly stated that Ukraine will not withdraw from Donbas or exchange any territory, calling such concessions "crazy" given the human cost.

Security Guarantees & EU Accession

• 🚀 Ukraine seeks a comprehensive package of security guarantees, including bilateral agreements with the US and trilateral agreements with the US and Europe.
• 🇪🇺 Zelenskyy stressed that EU membership is a vital part of these security guarantees, aiming for technical readiness by 2027.
• 🗓️ He insisted on fixing a specific date for EU accession in the security document to prevent future Russian obstruction.

Military Support & Production

• 🛠️ Zelenskyy confirmed the successful co-production of drones with Germany, with some already deployed to the front line, despite a previous production line being destroyed by Russian missiles.
• 🎯 He reiterated the need for more Taurus missiles from Germany, acknowledging the challenge of balancing dialogue and choosing available aid.
• 🤝 While not publicly asking for foreign troops during the war, he supports the idea of a coalition of the willing for post-ceasefire security.

US Role & Sanctions

• 🇺🇸 Zelenskyy noted that the US desires a quick peace and wants to sign all peace-related documents together.
• 💡 He personally advocates for signing security guarantees first to provide hope to the Ukrainian people.
• 📈 The President emphasized the ongoing need for more sanctions against Russia, having discussed this with US senators.