In a recent televised interview, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed optimism about President-elect Donald Trump’s potential role in ending the war with Russia, which is approaching its third anniversary. He highlighted Trump’s decisiveness as a key asset, stating, “Trump can be decisive. For us, this is the most important thing. His qualities are indeed there.” Zelenskyy believes Trump could be instrumental in halting Russian aggression, either by directly confronting President Vladimir Putin or by assisting Ukraine in doing so. He added that Trump has assured him of an early presidential visit to Kyiv following his inauguration.

A top priority for Zelenskyy is to stop Russian advances early in the new year. He reportedly asserted that Putin fears negotiations, viewing them as a sign of Russian defeat. Despite the ongoing war, Russia has failed to achieve its initial objectives, even its revised goals announced last year, which focused on capturing the Donbas region.

However, peace negotiations seem to be met with apprehension from both sides. While Zelenskyy welcomes talks, he insists any negotiations must ensure Ukraine’s security, including considerations like potential NATO membership. He emphasized that security guarantees without US involvement would be weak, urging Washington to consider Ukraine’s future security needs. He stated definitively, “It cannot be otherwise. We are Ukraine, and it’s our independence, our land and our future.”

Conversely, Putin has stated he will not accept any ceasefire that doesn’t preclude Ukraine from joining NATO, whose Article 5 treaty stipulates a collective defense response against any attack on a member state. This effectively means a unified NATO strike on Moscow if Russia were to attack Ukraine again.

Addressing his potential re-election, Zelenskyy acknowledged the constitutional prohibition on presidential elections during wartime but left the possibility open for consideration after the conflict concludes. He commented, “I don’t know how this war will end. If I can do more than I am able, then I will probably view such a decision [seeking re-election] more positively. For now, this is not an objective for me.”

The Trump transition team could not be reached for comment.