Zelensky demands real and lasting peace to prevent further attacks by Russia

After announcing that he had landed in the US capital, Volodimir Zelensky, President of Ukraine, in response to Donald Trump's latest statements, said he would warn the US president that there would be no room for half-measures in the ceasefire negotiations. ‘We will not accept a peace that hides a new war,’ he said.  

For the Ukrainian leader, leaving open the possibility of a repeat of what happened in Crimea in 2014 would be a defeat for the West. Zelensky's goal is clear: to close the door to any future Russian aggression. ‘We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and safely,’ he added in a post on social media. 

Zelensky insists that Russia must assume its responsibility as the aggressor and end the war it started. ‘True peace will only be possible if it is built on justice, sovereignty, and firm guarantees. Not on the illusion of a truce that hides a future invasion.’ 

At the time, following Russia's occupation of Crimea, Zelensky recalled that, due to international pressure, his country had made a mistake, which Russia hopes will be repeated, but from which Ukraine had learned a particularly important lesson: national sovereignty is the cornerstone of any state. ‘The logic that only strengthened Putin's imperial ambitions cannot be repeated.’ 

On social media, Zelensky also mentioned another major mistake Ukraine made in the past with the signing of the Budapest Memorandum in 1994, whereby Ukraine renounced its nuclear arsenal in exchange for security guarantees that, over time, proved useless in the face of Russian military advances. 

Accompanying him to Washington will be European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, French President Emmanuel Macron, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and the prime ministers of Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy, Friedrich Merz, Keir Starmer and Giorgia Meloni. 

Zelensky's first visit to Washington left a negative impression, as he was subjected to strong public pressure from Trump and his vice president, JD Vance, to accept a deal with Russia. 

In this context, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured that the European leaders who will be with Zelensky will not prevent Trump from ‘scaring’ him into accepting ‘an unfavourable agreement.’ 

However, this time Zelensky went to the Oval Office with the achievements of his army behind him and recent victories in Sumy and Donetsk, and with elevated expectations for international cooperation. He therefore pointed out that ‘the soldiers on the front line have shown that Ukraine can defend itself, but they need a real security architecture, not promises that will dissolve over time.’ 

Finally, he thanked the United States for all the support it has given to the troops on the front line, especially since Trump became president. ‘Our people do not forget who stood by us,’ he said.