Zelenskiy says Kyiv security guarantees will only work if US provides them

6/1/2025 6:38

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said late on Sunday that security guarantees for Kyiv to end Russia's war would only be effective if the United States provides them, and he hoped to meet U.S. President-elect Donald Trump soon after his inauguration.



In an interview with U.S. podcaster Lex Fridman, Zelenskiy praised the incoming U.S president, who has vowed to rapidly end the war without explaining how, saying Ukrainians were counting on him to compel Moscow to agree to a lasting peace.



Almost three years after Russia's invasion, the election of Trump, who returns to the White House on Jan. 20, has sparked hope of a diplomatic resolution to stop the war, but also fears in Kyiv that a quick peace could come at a high price.



Zelenskiy used the three-hour interview published on YouTube to call for Kyiv's NATO membership and emphasized his belief that a ceasefire without security guarantees for Kyiv would merely give Russia time to rearm for a new attack.