Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed his willingness to sign a peace deal with Russia, even if it means Russia does not immediately return the land it occupies. He emphasized the importance of Ukraine joining the NATO defense alliance if it wants to stop the “hot phase” of the war.
Zelensky believes that Ukraine must take “under the NATO umbrella” the territory it has under its control, and that Russia would not use any peace deal to prepare for another invasion. He also stated that NATO must immediately cover all of Ukraine’s recognized borders, and that the alliance would recognize Ukraine’s borders.
Zelensky has previously been adamant that Ukraine would recapture Crimea and all the territories occupied by Russia, but he is now open to a compromise, stating that Ukraine would try to return any land still held by Russia through diplomatic means.
He also expressed his desire to work with newly elected US President Donald Trump, saying that he wants to work directly with Trump because there are “different voices around him” that could potentially destroy communication. Trump has not clarified his plan to achieve peace, but analysts believe it would likely mean Ukraine ceding ground to Russia.
Zelensky presented a five-step plan to the Ukrainian parliament and Western allies, which included Ukraine joining NATO and increased military support from the alliance. He has also discussed the plan with Trump and was in contact with him by phone after his election win. Despite the challenges, Zelensky remains optimistic about the future, stating that “we need to stop the hot phase of the war” and “get back our land in a diplomatic way.”