President Volodymyr Zelensky, joined alongside his spouse First Girl Olena Zelenska, delivered a candid, wide-ranging interview on Ukrainian tv launched on Jan. 2, laying out his imaginative and prescient for Ukraine's prospects of a possible peace in 2025.
"What number of days did 2024 have? 1,000?" Zelensky joked earlier than addressing questions concerning the potential finish of the battle in 2025.
The interview comes simply weeks forward of the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 20, who has vowed to shift Ukraine's prospects after assuming workplace and negotiate a method out of the battle.
Over the course of the hour-long interview, Zelensky delved right into a wide-range of matters — each of home and worldwide significance — as Ukraine faces the daunting activity of securing an enduring peace as the beginning of the fourth 12 months of full-scale battle.
Trump's position in ending the battle
When requested about U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, Zelensky was clear concerning the influence he could make on the prospects of ending the battle in 2025.
"He might be decisive in ending battle… or, extra realistically, he may also help us cease (Russian President Vladimir) Putin. He can do that," Zelensky mentioned, including, "I consider he actually desires to finish this battle."
Trump's pledge to get the U.S. "out" of Russia's battle and negotiate a fast peace deal has acquired combined response in Kyiv.
Ukrainian officers have urged the president-elect to take care of assist and undertake a "peace by way of energy" method in dealings with Russia as Trump has nominated some officers seen as extra conservative and skeptical about offering navy assist to Ukraine.
"I consider Putin is fearful of Trump. That's why he's taking steps to get a number of the Kremlin's voice by some means into the Trump administration," Zelensky mentioned.
Regardless of some extra controversial appointments, Trump has additionally chosen key figures seen in a optimistic gentle in Kyiv, together with U.S. Normal Keith Kellogg as Ukraine peace envoy.
"To date, I’ve not had any adverse interactions in our relationships (with the Trump administration)," Zelensky mentioned within the interview. "An important side is that we construct these relationships."
Following the appointment of Kellogg, Ukrainian Overseas Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi mentioned that Kellogg was "not a brand new particular person for Ukraine."
"The Embassy of Ukraine within the U.S. has maintained shut ties with him, particularly throughout the framework of skilled diplomacy lately, and has developed and maintained an excellent dialogue with him throughout this time," Tykhyi added.
Kellogg has echoed Trump's dedication to ending the battle, saying in a December interview that he believes the battle might be "resolved within the subsequent few months." Kellogg has agreed to go to Kyiv following Trump's inauguration.
Since Trump's election victory in November, Kyiv has made concerted efforts to strengthen ties with the incoming administration, even meeting Trump amid the 2024 presidential election marketing campaign.
The historical past between the 2 leaders is fraught, stemming from Trump’s 2019 impeachment trial, which revolved round allegations that Trump withheld navy assist to stress Zelensky into investigating Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden. Regardless of this, Trump lately remarked that he "likes" Zelensky and had a "good relationship" with him throughout his earlier time period.
Zelensky beforehand said that the nation should do the whole lot doable to finish the battle by way of diplomatic means in 2025, including {that a} battle would "finish sooner" beneath a Trump administration.
Safety Ensures
In the course of the interview, Zelensky additionally touched on Ukraine's urgent want for strong safety ensures.
"Any safety ensures with out the USA are weak safety ensures for Ukraine," Zelensky mentioned. "To be sincere, Europeans are conserving their eyes out on the opinion of the president of the USA."
The Ukrainian president weighed in on French President Emmanuel Macron’s efforts to advocate for European troopers as potential peacekeepers in Ukraine. Whereas he welcomed concepts surrounding the initiative, Zelensky underscored the need of broader European participation.
"We wouldn't need (the peacekeeping initiative) to be only one, two international locations, if it get to this initiative," Zelensky mentioned, including that any potential path ahead to a everlasting safety ensures should be by way of the nation's NATO membership.
"I see that Trump has a optimistic impression of the thought," Zelensky mentioned concerning potential European peacekeepers in Ukraine.
Following a gathering with Zelensky and Macron in Paris in early December, Trump reportedly made clear he desires to see Europe take up management of monitoring a possible ceasefire in Ukraine.
"The new section of the battle could finish relatively rapidly if Trump is robust in his place, and I consider that his place ought to fall in keeping with these of European allies," Zelensky mentioned when requested the potential of the battle ending following Trump's inauguration.
Regardless of the potential of upcoming peace negotiations, Zelensky burdened that Ukraine's precedence stays accession into the NATO navy alliance.
Zelensky added that the presence of European troops alongside Ukraine's entrance line wouldn’t negate the nation's NATO ambitions.
Kyiv submitted its software to affix NATO in September 2022, and in July 2024, the alliance affirmed Ukraine's "irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, together with NATO membership" — though Ukraine has not acquired any definitive information about its future accession.
Regardless of Ukraine's dedication to becoming a member of the alliance, in latest months, Ukraine has shifted its rhetoric suggesting that Ukraine’s accession to NATO stays on the agenda however diplomatic efforts at present give attention to acquiring sturdy safety ensures.
"Briefly, a simply peace for us is the understanding that we’re within the EU and when. The understanding that we sturdy safety ensures, with NATO as the most suitable choice," Zelensky concluded.
The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak