Zelensky Sees Trump as Key to Resolving Ukraine Conflict

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has expressed the view that President-elect Donald Trump could play a pivotal role in bringing an end to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. In a recent interview with Ukrainian television, Zelensky highlighted Trump's unpredictability and decisiveness as important qualities that could contribute to achieving peace in the region. Trump has previously asserted his capability to resolve the conflict within a day, but Zelensky cautioned that such a swift resolution might be overly ambitious.

During his campaign, Trump's team proposed a peace plan that would delay Ukraine’s NATO membership for 20 years, freeze hostilities, and create a demilitarized zone overseen by European peacekeepers to monitor compliance with a ceasefire. Zelensky acknowledged that while Trump’s claims could be deemed unrealistic, effective US leadership could nonetheless have a powerful impact on peace efforts in Ukraine.

Zelensky emphasized the importance of Trump’s assertive stance, suggesting that it was vital for influencing Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he believes fears Trump. He noted that with Trump’s support, it would be easier for Ukraine to garner backing from European allies and engage in negotiations with Russia from a position of strength. The Ukrainian leader also reiterated the necessity of solid security guarantees, including potential NATO membership, as foundational to sustainable peace.

Furthermore, in December, Zelensky had a meeting with Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, discussing various potential peace initiatives. Trump remarked that Ukraine was willing to negotiate with Russia and called for a new ceasefire; however, Zelensky later dismissed this suggestion, arguing that any ceasefire without security guarantees would be unstable.

Moscow has stated that Ukraine's desire to join NATO is one of the primary factors fueling the conflict and maintains that any peace agreement must include Ukraine's recognition of certain territorial realities, including regions that have chosen to align with Russia. Recently, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated that current tensions make it difficult to halt the fighting, although Russia remains open to peace talks, insisting on advances on the ground until Ukraine shows willingness to negotiate.