Volodymyr Zelensky has said he would rather walk away from negotiations than pressure Ukrainians into accepting a deal he considers unfair, stressing that any agreement to end the war must secure a dignified and lasting peace with firm guarantees against future Russian aggression.
In an interview with The Atlantic published on Feb. 12 and aimed at American audiences and leadership, Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine is not an obstacle to peace. He said Kyiv has demonstrated good faith in negotiations by supporting U.S. proposals designed to accelerate talks.
“The tactic we chose is for the Americans not to think that we want to continue the war,” Zelensky said. “That’s why we started supporting their proposals in any format that speeds things along.”
Despite backing diplomatic efforts, Zelensky made clear that he would not endorse any agreement he sees as humiliating or damaging to Ukraine’s sovereignty.
When asked about the current battlefield situation, he maintained that “Ukraine is not losing,” adding that Kyiv’s readiness to engage in discussions should not be interpreted as a willingness to accept unfavorable terms.
Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine’s primary demand remains unchanged: binding security guarantees from the United States and Europe that would take effect once a ceasefire is implemented. Without such assurances, he warned, any pause in fighting could simply give Russia time to regroup and launch another attack.
He acknowledged that progress toward securing those guarantees has been slow, noting that key questions remain unresolved and that responses from the United States have so far lacked sufficient clarity. “We need all of this to be written out,” Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian leader also addressed speculation about elections, stating: “No one is clinging to power. I am ready for elections. But for that we need security, guarantees of security, a cease-fire.”
According to a source in the President’s Office who spoke to the Kyiv Independent, rumors that Zelensky planned to announce presidential elections or a referendum on a potential peace deal on Feb. 24 — the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion — were unfounded.
“He wasn’t planning to,” the source said when asked whether such an announcement would be made. “When there’s no security, there’s nothing else.”
Zelensky’s comments come as negotiations involving Ukraine, Russia, and the United States appear to have slowed in recent days, amid uncertainty about Russia’s willingness to participate.
“We’ve never been against ending the war. It’s the Russians who have shown they are not ready for a dialogue,” he said.