As Russia's war in Ukraine approaches its third anniversary, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is stressing his country's hopes for continued American support even during the new Trump administration.
"We are waiting for the inauguration of the American president. I think the whole world is waiting for it, because the United States is a strategic partner in global stability," Mr. Zelenskyy said this week during a joint press conference in Warsaw with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy described the US as "the largest donor supporting Ukraine in its struggle for survival in the face of Russian aggression" and expressed optimism for deepened cooperation under the principle of "peace through strength."
He also said his government is already coordinating with Washington regarding possible meetings with President-elect Trump, who takes office on Monday.
"Our teams are working on the details of this crucial discussion. We want to end this war, but on the terms of a just peace," he said.
The main focus for Ukraine in the upcoming peace negotiations will be to secure strong and comprehensive security guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression.
President-elect Trump has expressed skepticism about continued U.S. military support for Kiev, repeatedly vowing to end the war even before he took office on January 20. However, in recent days, his aides have said the new deadline for ending the war is the first 100 days of his administration, which would be the end of April.
Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio said during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday: "Even if the conflict ends, Ukraine must have the ability to defend itself." He added that this is a matter of long-term security and stability for Ukraine.
Prime Minister Tusk, standing alongside Mr. Zelenskyy in Warsaw, said that the best guarantee of security for Ukraine would be membership in Euro-Atlantic institutions. But, he noted, the idea of Ukraine joining NATO remains “questionable in some countries,” making it vital for the Western alliance to provide Ukraine with a tangible solution to ensure peace in Europe.
Ukraine cannot engage in "games" by reducing the size of its army, President Zelenskyy also said, rejecting the idea of doing so.
He said a strong defensive army is the "only guarantee of security" ahead of possible peace negotiations with Russia. His comments were in response to reports from Bloomberg News that Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to demand during discussions with President-elect Trump that Ukraine sever ties with NATO and adopt a "neutral country" status with a limited army.
Highlighting the current strength of Ukraine's military, Mr. Zelenskyy said it now includes 880,000 soldiers tasked with countering about 600,000 Russian forces concentrated in specific regions. According to him, Ukraine produces over 30% of its military equipment, mainly drones. He has called on allies and partners to invest in military production in Ukraine.
Russia and Ukraine conduct daily airstrikes on each other. Thousands of Ukrainian civilians have been killed by Russian attacks, in addition to heavy casualties among Ukrainian and Russian forces, since the Russian offensive began in February 2022.
Among the proposed options for security guarantees is French President Emmanuel Macron's idea of deploying European forces in Ukraine.
During his visit to Warsaw, President Zelenskyy confirmed that he had discussed the proposal. Responding to questions from Voice of America, the Ukrainian president said that although the idea remains in its early stages, the initiative, according to him, could be part of broader security guarantees for Ukraine.
“We support the idea of a contingent that includes our allies and strategic partners as part of security guarantees. However, this alone will not be enough,” Mr. Zelenskyy said. As a first step, the Ukrainian president said it would be effective to send Western instructors to Ukraine with a comprehensive training plan, to strengthen units on the ground.
President Zelenskyy also said he plans to discuss the idea with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who arrived in Kiev on Thursday with a pledge to help ensure Ukraine's security. Britain and Ukraine agreed to a "100-Year Partnership" treaty covering defense, science, energy and trade.
Other security guarantees that Mr. Zelenskyy outlined include additional sanctions, continued arms deliveries and investment in the defense industry. He called for urgent international action, including using frozen Russian funds to support Ukraine’s defense. “The strongest support for the Ukrainian military would be the release of $250 billion from frozen Russian assets to purchase the weapons that Ukraine urgently needs,” he said.
Polish and Ukrainian leaders have embraced Ukraine's aspirations to join the European Union as part of the peace process. Poland, which holds the rotating EU presidency, reiterated its commitment to accelerating Ukraine's European integration. Prime Minister Tusk described the EU presidency as an opportunity to break the deadlock and accelerate Ukraine's accession.
"We will work unconditionally with Ukraine and our European partners to accelerate this great and essential task," he said.
Mr. Tusk noted that Ukraine's EU membership would enhance European security and he promised to make the issue a priority. "We will break the deadlock we have on this issue," he said during a joint press conference. "We will accelerate the accession process."/VOA (A2 Televizion)
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