Zelenskyy: War must end so that Russia cannot come back with another invasion
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
The war must be ended in a way that prevents Russia from carrying out a third invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a press conference with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin.
Zelenskyy emphasized that the issue is not the difficulty of making decisions, but their fairness and transparency.
"Those who can make decisions will make them. I am capable of doing this," Zelenskyy said, adding that no agreements should be made without Ukraine's participation.
The President placed particular emphasis on security guarantees. According to him, it is important for Ukrainians not only to receive guarantees on paper, but above all to understand what allies are guaranteeing and how those guarantees will be implemented.
"This is not an experiment on people. These are real people, our citizens," Zelenskyy stressed.
He reminded that the war was started by Russia to destroy Ukraine, and the world has witnessed this aggression. Ukraine was able to repel the offensive thanks to the resilience of its citizens, its army, and support from international partners, particularly Europe and the United States.
The President emphasized that enough blood has been shed and expressed gratitude to the United States for their support.
At the same time, he warned that the war must be concluded in a way that prevents Russia from launching a third invasion in the future.
"They did not achieve their goal of occupying our state, but their objectives may still remain relevant. We need reliable protection," the Ukrainian President said.
Zelenskyy also touched upon the issue of returning soldiers home: "Our warriors will return home, but unfortunately, not all will survive. When they return to civilian life — becoming teachers, engineers, specialists — we must be sure that Russia does not prepare a new invasion."
The President stressed the need for certainty for Ukrainians and the support of international guarantees. The United States is ready to be a guarantor of Ukraine's security, Europe envisions Ukraine as part of the EU, and this is also part of the guarantees.
"The only question is timing, when Ukraine will become a full EU member: in this century or the next. Certainty for the people — that is what is needed," Zelenskyy concluded.
US peace plan
On Monday, December 1, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the US President Donald Trump's peace plan had been revised in Geneva by representatives of Ukraine and the United States, and Washington "feels very optimistic".
To discuss the latest version of the peace plan for ending the full-scale war in Ukraine, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and the American leader's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, are currently meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine is now awaiting the US position after its talks with Russian representatives. According to Zelenskyy, the American delegation is expected to immediately inform the Ukrainian side of the results after the meeting concludes.
