Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that he was “ready” to resign as leader if it meant it brought peace to his country, suggesting he could swap it for NATO membership.
Asked at a press conference if he was ready to quit if it ensures peace for Ukraine, Zelensky said: “If [it guarantees] peace for Ukraine, if you really need me to resign, I am ready. I can exchange it for NATO.”
The Ukrainian president previously said his country’s army will need to double in size if NATO denies it membership to the alliance. Earlier this month, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said that Kyiv joining NATO was unrealistic.
Zelensky’s comments follow an escalating spat between Zelensky and Donald Trump after the US president falsely accused Ukraine of starting the conflict. Trump later admitted “Russia attacked” but blamed predecessor Joe Biden and Zelensky for not stopping the fighting sooner.
When Zelensky hit back – accusing the US president of being in a “disinformation space” – Trump called Zelensky a “dictator,” straining ties at a pivotal moment in the conflict. US and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia last week for “exploratory” talks about how to end the war but left Kyiv to watch from afar, sparking panic from European allies.
Overnight, Russia launched a record 267 drones at Ukraine, killing at least one person, in an unprecedented attack on the eve of the third anniversary of Russia’s war in the country, Ukrainian authorities said Sunday.
“Every day, our people are resisting aerial terror,” Zelensky said Sunday, adding that the overnight attack was “the largest attack since Iranian drones started hitting Ukrainian cities and villages.”
“We need to do our best to bring a lasting and just peace to Ukraine. This is possible in the unity of all partners – we need the strength of all of Europe, the strength of America, the strength of everyone who wants a lasting peace,” Zelensky said on X.
Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s defense intelligence directorate, called the overnight attack “purely a means of intimidation, a terrorist act.”
Source: CNN
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