Ukraine’s Zelensky: We have backed US peace proposals to get a deal done

Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv has supported US-led peace initiatives aimed at ending the war with Russia, as Donald Trump pushes for a resolution ahead of the November mid-term elections.

In an interview with The Atlantic published Thursday, Zelensky said Ukraine was open to holding both a presidential election and a referendum on any potential agreement, but stressed that Kyiv would not accept a settlement harmful to national interests.

“The tactic we chose is for the Americans not to think that we want to continue the war,” Zelensky said, explaining that Ukraine had backed US proposals “in any format that speeds things along.”

He emphasized Ukraine’s readiness for democratic processes, saying the country was “not afraid of anything,” while reiterating that security conditions remain essential. “I am ready for elections. But for that we need security, guarantees of security, a ceasefire,” he said.

Zelensky also confirmed he had rejected a reported proposal to announce elections and a referendum on February 24, the anniversary of Russia’s invasion, noting that a ceasefire and US security guarantees had yet to be finalized.

“I don’t think we should put a bad deal up for a referendum,” he added.

Vladimir Putin has questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy as a negotiating partner, citing the absence of elections since 2019. Zelensky, however, said discussions on a framework for security guarantees are close to completion, though key issues remain unresolved.

Among them, he noted, is whether the United States would intervene militarily — including shooting down incoming missiles — if Russia were to breach a future peace deal.

“This hasn’t been fixed yet,” Zelensky said. “We have raised it, and we will continue to raise these questions. We need all of this to be written out.”