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 with Donald Trump after the US president falsely accused Ukraine of starting the conflict.
Trump later admitted “Russia attacked” but blamed his 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 this week for “exploratory” talks about how to end the war but left Kyiv to watch from afar, sparking panic from European allies. More here