It is the third anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war, and apparently, it’s nowhere near the end. Russia is unlikely to call its military back, and President Zelensky will not back down, or will he? In a surprising turn of events, the President stated that he was “ready” to step down as leader if it would benefit his nation. He implied that he could exchange it for NATO membership.
During a news conference on Sunday, he said that if his stepping down could bring peace to Ukraine, he would do that in a heartbeat. However, he wants to ensure Ukraine’s place in NATO.
Earlier this month, NATO declared a doctrine that Ukraine was on an “irreversible path” to membership. However, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth does not agree with this. He said that earlier this month, he suggested that Kyiv joining the alliance was unachievable.
However, there have been reports of Zelensky being tired and depressed. Volodymyr Zelensky is not a career politician and has no experience in handling political, social, and military crises. He was a career politician who just wanted to make sure his country was on the right path.
His inexperience was considered his biggest weakness. Russia was sure to win the war in 7 days. No one counted on his resilience. However, now it seems there is no way forward, and under the pressure of the US and Russia, he may consider retiring.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was a comedian and actor before moving into politics, and says he has ‘never lost’ his sense of humour.
Read more: https://t.co/2AIj3ASbIe pic.twitter.com/pKqjzoQosy
— Sky News (@SkyNews) January 26, 2023
The Ukrainian President was forced to make these comments as Donald Trump was trying to pull Europe against him. In a recent statement to the press, President Trump called him a dictator. Trump also added that people in Ukraine are tired of him and want him gone. However, the latest poll suggests 57% of Ukrainian citizens are in favor of the current administration.
During his trip to the EU, the vice president also called out Zelensky as a dictator.
Zelensky has refused to sign Trump’s mineral deal refusing to recognize previous aid provided as debt that Ukraine needs to repay to the United States. Zelensky has also offered to resign if it will give Ukraine real security guarantees or membership to NATO.
My YouTube update… pic.twitter.com/RPhN9Vej7O
— Jake Broe (@RealJakeBroe) February 24, 2025
Moreover, Ukraine is under martial law, and there are no elections during this time.
This push for a change of administration from the current Trump administration could have ulterior motives. Trump has been suggesting that Ukraine must share its mineral resources with the United States as part of war negotiations.
As part of a proposed “deal,” Trump demanded a $500 billion stake in Ukraine’s rare earth and other mineral deposits, claiming that this would be commensurate with the US’s assistance to Ukraine during its conflict with Russia and Putin.
Zelensky has refused to sign Trump’s mineral deal refusing to recognize previous aid provided as debt that Ukraine needs to repay to the United States. Zelensky has also offered to resign if it will give Ukraine real security guarantees or membership to NATO.
My YouTube update… pic.twitter.com/RPhN9Vej7O
— Jake Broe (@RealJakeBroe) February 24, 2025
However, as per the deal, Ukraine will have to pay the US for 250 days based on the terms and conditions and its reservoir of minerals. Zelensky said he could not sign the future of the next 10 generations in a moment of weakness.
Is the American government trying to strong-arm its way into the Ukrainian’s rich fossil fuel reservoir? Is this what the whole war was about? Has the US not learned its lesson from its wars in the Middle East?
What remains to be seen is whether President Zelensky will resign or not. While there is some dissatisfaction among people, nothing seems as severe as a government change in the middle of a war.
