Zelensky softens stance on Russian borders, seeks US backing
Russia should at least return to the borders of 2022. That would offer a fair opportunity to start a dialogue, said President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with Bloomberg.
This marks a significant shift in President Zelensky's rhetoric, who has until now insisted that negotiations with the Kremlin would only be possible if Russia completely withdrew its forces from Ukrainian territory.
Illegal annexation of two regions
Zelensky emphasised that Ukraine will under no circumstances recognise any territorial annexations by Russia. The Kremlin illegally annexed the Zaporizhia and Kherson regions in September 2022.
The President of Ukraine also stressed that any peacekeeping forces deployed in Ukraine should include US troops. Regarding himself, before engaging in negotiations, he wants to know what security guarantees Trump can provide to Ukraine.
- The only question is what security guarantees and honestly I want to have understanding before the talks. If he [Trump] can guarantee this strong and irreversible security for Ukraine, we will move along this diplomatic path - he said.
President Zelensky also denied reports from some media outlets that claimed Ukraine spoke of the need to deploy 150,000 Western soldiers. He explained that such a need would arise if Ukraine had to reduce the number of its Armed Forces due to lack of funding – then 150,000 peacekeepers would be needed to continue containing Russia.
18-year-olds to the army? Zelensky disagrees
Zelensky also declared that he would not agree to lowering the mobilisation age to 18. Earlier, Western media reported that Joe Biden's administration tried to pressure Zelensky into such a decision.
- Why mobilise even more young people? To have even more people without weapons? - he responded to the Bloomberg reporter's question.
Currently, men from the age of 25 are subject to mobilisation. In October 2024, deputies of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada officially banned the mobilisation of Ukrainians aged 18 to 25.
