Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has offered to give up his position in exchange for peace and membership in NATO as his country was hit by what he called the largest Russian drone attack it has faced since the war began.
Zelenskyy made the offer in a news conference in Kyiv on Sunday as the rift widens between himself and the new government in the United States, led by President Donald Trump, on the eve of the three-year anniversary of the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine.
“If [it means] peace for Ukraine, if you really need me to leave my post, I am ready,” Zelenskyy said. “I can exchange this for NATO [membership], if that condition is there, immediately.”
In a sharp change from the previous US administration of President Joe Biden, which strongly backed Zelenskyy and Ukraine, Trump has increasingly attackedthe Ukrainian president since taking office last month. Last week, Trump called Zelenskyy a “dictator” who had little support from Ukrainians. He made those comments after the Ukrainian leader had said Trump was operating in a “disinformation space” after the US president expressed views held by Russia on the war.
But Zelenskyy said on Sunday that he wanted the US president to be a partner rather than just a mediator.
“I really want it to be more than just mediation. … That’s not enough,” Zelenskyy said, adding that he wanted to meet Trump before any meeting between the US leader and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The US appears to be making its support for Ukraine conditional on a deal for the latter’s rare earth minerals. Washington initially demanded 50 percent ownership of the minerals in exchange for its continued support of Kyiv.
Ukraine has indicated a deal could be negotiated, but Zelenskyy on Sunday rejected Trump’s assertion that his country owed $500bn to the US. The Ukrainian president said the money given was in the form of grants, not loans, and should not be tied to any mineral deal.
“The question of $500bn is no longer there,” Zelenskyy said, adding that the debt will not be in the “final format of the agreement”.
The Ukrainian leader said considering aid as a debt to be repaid would be a “Pandora’s box” that would set a precedent requiring Kyiv to reimburse all its backers.
