All articles tagged with #zelenskyy
On Ukraine’s four-year war anniversary, Zelenskyy pushes for EU membership by 2027 with a fast-track path, arguing Putin cannot block Kyiv forever, while EU leader von der Leyen cautions that a firm date isn’t the sole path and emphasizes reform progress and continued support, alongside broader updates on issues like unblocking a €90bn loan and ongoing Western backing for Kyiv.
On the four-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion, Zelenskyy said Ukraine has defended its independence and statehood and that Putin has not achieved his aims, while allies reaffirm unwavering support on Kyiv’s terms amid widespread destruction, casualties, and displacement.
On the war's four-year anniversary, Zelenskyy says Ukraine has withstood Russia's onslaught and not lost its statehood, even as Moscow controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory; European leaders gather in Kyiv, calls for an immediate ceasefire grow, and peace talks remain stalled as casualties and hardship persist.
As Trump heads to the State of the Union, voters show waning trust in his handling of the economy despite boasting about the stock market, while Zelenskyy grows frustrated by stalled peace talks in year five of the Russia-Ukraine war; the piece also highlights Stephen Miller’s expanding remit in the White House.
On the fifth anniversary of Russia's invasion, Zelenskyy says Moscow has not achieved its war aims and Ukraine will pursue a strong, lasting peace; the Kremlin echoed the assessment as fighting continues and negotiations stall. The conflict has devastated Ukraine, with reconstruction costs estimated around $588 billion, while Western leaders reaffirm support and diplomacy remains deadlocked.
U.S.-brokered peace talks in Geneva ended after about two hours with uneven progress; Zelenskyy accused Moscow of dragging its feet while Kyiv insists on sovereignty and borders. The main hurdle remains Donbas territory, with Russia seeking control and Ukraine resisting. Officials signaled more talks soon, urged European participation and security guarantees, and a prisoner swap could be a tangible outcome if negotiations continue.
Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine’s ex-army chief and now ambassador to Britain, says there is a deep rift with President Zelenskyy over how to defend the country, recounting a 2022 SBU raid he calls intimidation and criticizing the handling of the 2023 counteroffensive; though he avoids overt political campaigning, polls have him as Zelenskyy’s top challenger, with analysts noting his distance from daily decision‑making could affect national unity in wartime.
Ukraine’s president Zelenskyy urged a 20-year, legally binding U.S. security guarantee before any peace deal with Russia and pressed for a firm EU accession date, noting Washington’s current offer stands at 15 years. With trilateral talks with Russia and the U.S. on the horizon, the United States signaled willingness to cooperate with Europe but under conditions, as Europe grows frustrated by the lack of clear, enforceable security terms amid ongoing conflict and broader geopolitical tensions.
At the Munich Security Conference, Zelenskyy thanked allies for air-defense aid but said Ukraine still seeks binding security guarantees before comprehensive peace deals, highlighting friction with the US on timing and warning against concessions in Donbas, while noting ongoing talks in Abu Dhabi and Geneva amid continued fighting.
President Zelenskyy said the U.S. has given Ukraine and Russia a June deadline to reach a deal to end the war, with trilateral talks likely next week (possibly in Miami) and a renewed push to end fighting by early summer. Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid continue to disrupt power and push nuclear plants to reduce output, while Kyiv maintains hard lines on Donbas and Zaporizhzhia issues; Washington has floated a ceasefire on energy infrastructure and a Russian economic proposal known as the Dmitriev package as part of the negotiations.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy said the next trilateral talks with Russia and the United States will be held Feb. 4–5 in Abu Dhabi after Sunday meetings were canceled as Washington shifts focus to the Iran crisis; Kyiv says it is ready for substantive talks, while Donbas remains a sticking point and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff described discussions with Moscow as productive. Ukraine is also restoring electricity amid a winter energy emergency following a cascading grid outage caused by a technical malfunction.
Zelenskyy framed Donald Trump’s weeklong truce proposal as an opportunity rather than a formal ceasefire, saying it could start de-escalation talks if Russia stops striking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in exchange for Kyiv halting attacks on Russian oil facilities; he cautioned Moscow’s sincerity remains uncertain while Russia signaled possible renewed strikes as cold weather returns, and Western aid rushes to mitigate Ukraine’s energy crisis.
Zelenskyy announced Ukraine aims to join the EU in 2027, with EU discussions exploring a gradual-membership path even as Hungary blocks opening of negotiation chapters; Kyiv has held EU candidate status since 2022 and began accession talks in 2024, while Brussels provides support and Ukraine advances reforms amid war.
Zelenskyy said a U.S. security guarantees document for Ukraine is 100% ready to sign, with a signing date to be set before it goes to the U.S. Congress and Ukrainian parliament for ratification. The update followed trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi among Ukraine, the United States, and Russia aimed at ending the invasion, and Zelenskyy pressed for Ukraine to join the European Union by 2027 while insisting Ukraine’s territorial integrity must be respected. Negotiators will reconvene in the UAE on Feb. 1 for the next round, though no final framework on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been agreed.
U.S. officials say Ukraine and Russia will hold another round of peace talks next Sunday in Abu Dhabi after this week’s face-to-face discussions failed to yield a breakthrough, with negotiators focusing on de-escalation, Western security guarantees for Ukraine, and economic issues around the Zaporizhzhia plant; Washington signals support for a diplomatic settlement while Europe debates security commitments, even as Russia continues attacks and Kyiv resists concessions on Donbas.