Zelenskyy on Independence Day: We need a just peace, only we can decide our future

The head of state recorded the address from the center of Kyiv — on Independence Square. For Ukrainians, this is more than the main square of the country. This is a symbol of independence, a place where history is being made.

Zelenskyy also drew attention to the Zero Kilometer, where distances to Ukrainian cities are written, in particular, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Crimea.

"And today these marks — they already have a completely different meaning. They are no longer only about kilometers. They remind us that all this is Ukraine. And there — our people, and no distance between us will change this, and no temporary occupation will change this. And one day this distance between Ukrainians will disappear, and we will again be together as one family, as one country. And this is only a matter of time," he said.

The president thanked the warriors, volunteers, doctors, rescuers, teachers, youth, and other Ukrainians.

Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine has changed — it no longer waits for gestures of goodwill, but has its own will.

"And such Ukraine will never again in history be forced into the shame which Russians call a compromise. We need a just peace. What our future will be, only we can decide. And the world knows this. And the world respects this. Respects Ukraine. Accepts Ukraine as an equal," the president noted.

The head of state added that Ukraine can, in a day, gather and unite the leaders of the world, restore European unity and US unity, and become the foundation of this alliance.

"And therefore Ukraine is heard, Ukraine is taken into account, it is listened to. Its place is at the table; it is not told, 'Wait outside the door.' It is told: 'Only you decide,'" Zelenskyy emphasized.

Negotiations on ending the war

On August 15, in Alaska, a meeting took place between President Donald Trump of the United States and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The main topic of the negotiations was Ukraine.

The media reports that Putin put forward several demands for ending the war, in particular, the so-called territorial exchange. He wants Ukraine to withdraw troops from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and in return is ready to withdraw the occupiers from small districts in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions.

Already on August 18, Trump met in the White House with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and European leaders.

After the negotiations, the American president phoned Putin to agree on a meeting with Zelenskyy. The Russian Federation insisted on a bilateral meeting, which was to take place within the next weeks.

Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz also doubts that the Russian leader will dare to meet with Zelenskyy. The President of Finland also considers it unlikely that the summit will take place before the end of August.