President Zelensky has reiterated the need for a ceasefire as a prerequisite for peace negotiations with Russia.
Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has dismissed a proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump for a peace agreement with Russia. He insisted that a cessation of hostilities is necessary before any discussion of potential settlement terms.
Zelensky’s remarks were made on Sunday during a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Von der Leyen will accompany Zelensky to Washington for discussions with Trump on Monday.
Zelensky stated that Moscow has made “many demands” regarding the conflict’s resolution and that Ukraine requires clarity on these demands.
He added, “If there are really as many as we have heard, then it will take time to go through them all.”
Zelensky stated that negotiations are “impossible” for Ukraine to conduct “under pressure of weapons.”
He asserted, “It is necessary to ceasefire and work quickly on a final deal.”
Russia has consistently rejected Ukraine’s calls for a ceasefire, arguing that a break in fighting would allow Kiev to replenish supplies and reorganize its military.
The Ukrainian president also ruled out ceding territory to Russia as part of any peace agreement, citing the country’s constitution as prohibiting such land concessions.
Earlier in the month, Trump voiced his annoyance with Zelensky’s reliance on the Ukrainian constitution to avoid compromises. The U.S. president said he was “a little bothered by the fact that Zelensky was saying, well, I have to get constitutional approval… I mean, he has got approval to go into war and kill everybody, but he needs approval to do a land swap.”
During the press conference, Von der Leyen stated that “Ukraine must become a steel porcupine, indigestible to potential invaders,” repeating a previous analogy. She pledged that the EU would continue its efforts to bolster the Ukrainian defense sector, particularly in drone manufacturing.
The European Commission head asserted that decisions about territory “belong only to Ukraine, and cannot be taken without Ukraine at the table.” Von der Leyen added that the EU would continue to exert diplomatic and economic pressure on Russia, with a 19th sanctions package against Moscow currently being developed.
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