Ahead of a crucial meeting with President Donald Trump on Monday, the Ukrainian President on Saturday laid out his non-negotiable demands for what he described as a “real peace.”
Zelenskyy’s X post followed calls with both Trump and European leaders, which came after Trump and the Russian President met in Alaska in an attempt to broker an end to the three-and-a-half-year conflict.
“The terms are clear. We need a true and lasting peace, not just a temporary lull between Russian attacks,” Zelenskyy stated.
“The killing must end immediately, and there must be a cessation of fire both on the ground and in the air, as well as against our ports. All Ukrainian soldiers and civilians held captive must be freed, and the children abducted by Russia must be returned.”
Zelenskyy highlighted that thousands of Ukrainians are still imprisoned and must be released, while also emphasizing the need to maintain pressure on Russia as long as “aggression and occupation continue.”
In a subsequent post, Zelenskyy cautioned against potential Russian “deceit” that could involve attacks intended to create leverage during ongoing negotiations.
“Given the political and diplomatic landscape surrounding Ukraine, and understanding Russia’s history of treachery, we anticipate that the Russian military may attempt to intensify pressure and attacks on Ukrainian positions in the coming days. This would be aimed at creating a more favorable political environment for discussions with global actors,” he explained.
Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with Trump at the White House on Monday as the two nations work to end the conflict.
Following his meeting with Putin, Trump stated on Truth Social that he believes a peace agreement, rather than just a ceasefire, is the optimal solution to the war. He had previously advocated for a ceasefire prior to his meeting with Putin.
“It was universally agreed that the best way to resolve the terrible war between Russia and Ukraine is to pursue a Peace Agreement directly, which would end the conflict completely, rather than a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often fails to hold,” Trump wrote.
He added that if Monday’s meeting with Zelenskyy is also productive, a meeting with Putin will be scheduled, “potentially saving millions of lives.”
Zelenskyy’s visit marks his first return to the Oval Office since February, when Trump openly criticized him for being “disrespectful” during a notable press briefing that resulted in the breakdown of a U.S.-Ukraine minerals agreement.
Although a peace agreement was not reached during Friday’s meeting, Trump characterized it as successful, noting “a lot of progress” was made. Putin echoed these sentiments, describing the summit as having “a constructive atmosphere of mutual respect.”
After meeting with Putin, Trump also spoke with European leaders, who expressed their support for Trump’s peace efforts but insisted that Ukraine must receive “ironclad” security guarantees to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The European leaders did not specify whether they preferred a peace deal over a ceasefire.
“Ukraine alone has the right to make decisions about its territory. International borders must not be changed through the use of force,” stated a declaration signed by various leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“There should be no limits placed on Ukraine’s armed forces or its collaboration with other nations. Russia cannot be allowed to veto Ukraine’s path to joining the EU and NATO.”
During an interview with before returning to Washington, Trump suggested that the responsibility for reaching a deal might fall on Zelenskyy “to get it done,” but also indicated that European nations would have some involvement.
’ Elizabeth Pritchett and
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