Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Sunday that he was “willing” to step down as president if it would bring peace to the nation, suggesting that he could trade his resignation for NATO membership.
When asked at a press conference whether he would resign to ensure peace for Ukraine, Zelensky responded: “If [it guarantees] peace for Ukraine, if you really need me to resign, I am ready. I can exchange it for NATO.”
Previously, Zelensky had mentioned that Ukraine’s military would need to double in size if NATO membership was denied. Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said it was unrealistic for Kyiv to join NATO.
Zelensky’s remarks come amid an intensifying conflict between him and former President Donald Trump, who falsely accused Ukraine of initiating the conflict. Trump later acknowledged that “Russia attacked” but placed blame on former President Joe Biden and Zelensky for not ending the war sooner.
In response, Zelensky accused Trump of spreading “disinformation,” prompting Trump to label him a “dictator,” which strained relations at a critical point in the war. Meanwhile, U.S. and Russian officials held “exploratory” talks in Saudi Arabia about ending the conflict, leaving Kyiv on the sidelines and causing concern among European allies.
In a separate development, Russia launched a record-breaking 267 drones at Ukraine overnight, killing at least one person, in what Ukrainian officials called an unprecedented attack ahead of the third anniversary of Russia’s war.
“Every day, our people are fighting back against aerial terror,” Zelensky said, adding that this attack was the “largest” since Iranian drones began targeting Ukrainian cities and villages.
“We must do everything we can to secure lasting and fair peace for Ukraine. This is achievable through the unity of all our partners—we need the strength of all of Europe, the strength of America, the strength of everyone who seeks a lasting peace,” Zelensky wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s defense intelligence, described the overnight assault as “purely an act of intimidation, a terrorist attack.”
Zelensky expresses willingness to step down as Ukraine’s president if it leads to peace.
