Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Sunday that he would be willing to step down from his position if it would bring peace to Ukraine, joking that he could trade his resignation for the country’s membership in NATO.
“If it means peace for Ukraine, if you really need me to leave my post, I am ready,” Zelensky, appearing visibly irritated, responded when asked during a press conference whether he would resign to secure peace.
“I can exchange this for NATO membership, if that condition is there, immediately,” he added.
US President Donald Trump has advocated for elections in Ukraine, labeling Zelensky a “dictator,” seemingly in reference to Zelensky’s official five-year term ending in 2024.
Trump’s criticism has come amid a growing rift between the two leaders in recent weeks.
Zelensky has opposed holding elections during a full-scale war, a stance that is supported by many of his major domestic political opponents.
The Ukrainian president also expressed his desire for Trump to become a true partner to Ukraine, rather than just a mediator between Kyiv and Moscow.
“I really want it to be more than just mediation… that’s not enough,” Zelensky remarked at the press conference in Kyiv.
