President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Sunday that he would resign as the head of state in Ukraine in exchange for the country’s membership in NATO. Zelenskyy made this declaration during a press conference in Kyiv. Additionally, he expressed his desire to see US President Donald Trump as a partner to Ukraine, rather than simply a mediator. The Ukrainian leader also mentioned that he would immediately step down if required.

Zelenskyy emphasized the need for US security guarantees to assist Kyiv in its defense efforts. He stated that progress was being made in negotiations regarding a potential agreement that would grant the US access to Ukraine’s natural resources in exchange for security assistance. Trump’s envoy to Ukraine, Steve Witkoff, confirmed that the deal regarding Ukraine’s rare-earth minerals could be signed within the week. According to Witkoff, any peace deal would require concessions from all parties involved.

During the press conference, Zelenskyy rejected the notion that Ukraine owed Washington $500 billion, a figure repeatedly mentioned by Trump as the total wartime aid provided by the US to Kyiv. To provide context, a support tracker by Germany’s Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW-Kiel) indicates that the US has committed $114 billion in total support to Ukraine.

The Kremlin has announced that Russia and the US are set to hold fresh talks, with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov mentioning that the discussions will address issues that have strained bilateral relations. These talks follow a summit between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that took place in Riyadh on February 18. Notably, Kyiv was not involved in the negotiations.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-zelenskyy-offers-to-quit-in-return-for-nato-entry/a-71720973?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf