Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would agree to step down on condition that it would help his country gain lasting peace or get a place in NATO. “If for the sake of peace you really want me to leave my post, I am ready. I can exchange it for NATO, if there are such conditions and immediately,” the head of state said in response to a question from an ABC journalist.
Zelenskyy emphasized that he is focusing on Ukraine’s security “today, not in 20 years” and is not going to “be in power for decades” and will hold elections immediately after martial law is lifted.
Zelenskyy also noted that the U.S. has set a goal of ending the “hot phase” of the war in 2025, but he fears it could be “peace through force, but slightly in Russia’s favor.” According to the president, Washington insists on a ceasefire without security guarantees for Ukraine, which Kiev disagrees with. Since an invitation to NATO is unlikely, Zelenskyy sees an alternative in externally securing funding for the 800,000-strong national army, deploying a foreign contingent and admitting Ukraine to the EU.
