Zelensky says he is ready to step down as president if Ukraine joins NATO

BarcelonaVolodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that he would be willing to step down as president if Ukraine is guaranteed NATO membership. "I have no intention of holding on to power for decades," Zelensky said at a press conference, responding, in a way, to accusations from Donald Trump, who recently called him a "dictator" for not calling elections. "I am ready to resign if this means peace for Ukraine, and I could also exchange my position for NATO membership. We can make this exchange immediately," the president added during his speech at the Ukraine: 2025 forum. "If they really need me to leave my post, I am ready."

The president has also announced that he has called a summit for this Monday, the day that will mark three years since the start of the Russian invasion, in the Ukrainian capital in which 37 world leaders will participate and which he hopes will be a "turning point." It will be the first time since the start of the war that Kiev has hosted such a large international summit. Zelensky has not announced which leaders will attend, but a large European presence is expected. "I still have a lot of faith in Europe," said the president. In this regard, he added that he would like to see the president of the United States, Donald Trump, as an ally of Ukraine and not as a simple mediator between Kiev and Moscow. "I very much hope that he comes to Ukraine," insisted Zelensky at a press conference. The president also took the opportunity to show his full willingness to visit the United States to meet with Trump.

Zelensky's mandate ended in May last year, and elections have not been called because martial law was declared at the start of the war, which also prevents demonstrations and strikes. Holding elections right now in Ukraine, in the middle of the war, would pose multiple challenges and logistical and security risks, according to several experts consulted in recent days by ARA.

High popularity

Trump has said that "there have been no elections in Ukraine for a long time" and lied, saying that Zelensky's popularity is 4%. In fact, several polls show that he easily exceeds 50% of popular support, a figure that is difficult to see in other European countries. The actions and words of the Trump administration, which wants to negotiate the end of the war without Kiev or the EU, give wings to Moscow, which has been suggesting for months that elections should be held in Ukraine as part of any truce agreement.

This Sunday, Zelensky was asked about the fact that Trump called him a "dictator." "Obviously, I would not say that Donald Trump's words are a compliment," the president replied, before adding with a smile "I was not offended: a dictator would have been offended."

Also related to Trump, the Ukrainian president has insisted on his commitment to sign the agreement proposed by the United States to benefit from 50% of Ukraine's natural resources. However, Zelensky stressed that this agreement must include clear security guarantees for Ukraine and that it cannot be a deal that mortgages the future of several generations of Ukrainians. "I will not sign anything that has to be paid for by generations and generations of Ukrainians," he said.

Zelensky, in fact, has raised the possibility that the natural resources that Ukraine could share with the United States include those found in the deposits of territories that are now under Russian control. "We do 50-50 including the occupied territories," said the Ukrainian president, who recalled that this would stimulate Washington's interest in helping Kiev to recover these territories.