Ukraine's Zelenskiy says ending the war means security guarantees

10/2/2025 6:07

U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for

a quick settlement in Ukraine must not only stop the war but

also ensure that there can no longer be any more Russian

aggression, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in an interview

broadcast on Sunday.



Zelenskiy said Ukraine wanted no repeat of the experience of

peace accords and talks that failed to produce results in the

years running up to Moscow's February 2022 full-scale invasion.

And that, he said, meant putting security guarantees in place.



"A frozen conflict will lead to more aggression again and

again. Who then will win prizes and go down in history as the

victor? No one. It will be an absolute defeat for everyone, both

for us, as is important, and for Trump," Zelenskiy told

Britain's ITV.



"He needs not just to end the war. He needs to act so that

(Russian leader Vladimir) Putin has no chance to wage war on us

again. This is the main thing and everyone should recognise

that. That would be a victory," Zelenskiy said.



Zelenskiy repeated his willingness to hold talks with Russia

on ending the war provided that Ukraine's Western allies -- the

United States and the European Union -- were engaged.



"If I had an understanding that America and Europe will not

abandon us and they will support us and provide security

guarantees, I would be ready for any format for talks," he said.



"If there are security guarantees, we can then speak of an

end to the 'hot phase' of the war. You must understand we need

to know just how this war is going to end. That we are all on

the same side as America and Europe."



The Ukrainian president said Putin did not want to end the

war and "it is impossible to approach him through...half steps."



"We need security guarantees, understandings so that

whatever he may want or if whoever comes after him wants to kill

Ukrainians or seize our land...they will get such a response."







PRESIDENT RULES OUT WARTIME ELECTION



In his comments to ITV, Zelenskiy again ruled out

holding elections in Ukraine until hostilities ceased, as that

would endanger the country by removing key provisions of martial

law. Putin says Zelenskiy has no legitimacy in any talks because

he has remained in office beyond his mandate.



"We would have to suspend martial law and if we suspend

martial law, we lose the army," he said. "And, in principle, the

Russians would be happy. It's a matter of military capability,

morale and similar that would be lost."



Zelenskiy told Reuters last week that he wanted Ukraine to

supply the United States with rare earths and other minerals in

return for financially supporting its war effort. Ukrainian

officials have also spoken to Trump's special envoy for Ukraine

and Russia, Keith Kellogg.



Trump said on Friday that he would probably meet Zelenskiy

next week to discuss ending the war. The New York Post reported

at the weekend that Trump said he had spoken to Putin by phone

about ending the war, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said

he could neither confirm nor deny the report.