Zelenskyy on the possible duration of the war: not ten years
Kyiv • UNN
Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that no one knows how long the war will last. But he emphasized that it will definitely not be ten years.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that no one knows how long the war will last, "but not ten years," writes UNN with reference to Ouest-France.
Details
Regarding the possible duration of the conflict, Zelenskyy was clear in an interview with Libération and several other European media outlets: "No one knows how long it will last. But not ten years. Ukraine would not withstand it. […] It is expensive for everyone, not only friends, but also enemies."
Against the backdrop of negotiations that may begin on May 15 in Turkey, Zelenskyy said in an interview that he is ready to meet with Vladimir Putin in person if he agrees to the trip. "It is important to understand the purpose of my meeting with Putin," he explains. "We cannot agree on everything with him now, it is impossible. […] But we must somehow find a format to end the war." Hence his call for an immediate ceasefire, without preconditions.
In recent days, the diplomatic initiative has been gaining momentum: Emmanuel Macron, Donald Tusk, Keir Starmer and Friedrich Merz, with the support of about twenty countries and with the approval of Donald Trump, have issued an ultimatum to Moscow demanding a complete cessation of hostilities. In response, the Kremlin offered direct negotiations in Turkey, without specifying whether Putin would participate in them. For Zelenskyy, this ambiguity speaks volumes: "If he doesn't come, it means he's not looking for a political victory."
Zelenskyy insists: the meeting cannot be symbolic. "If I meet with him, we must come out of it with a political victory - a ceasefire, an exchange of prisoners on the principle of "all for all" or something similar," he said. The issue of implementation is at the center of his concern: "Russians will not trust us, we will not trust Russians."
According to him, only external intermediaries can guarantee compliance with any agreement. The President of Ukraine insists on the need for reliable, balanced mediation that respects both parties. In particular, he calls the United States a possible guarantor of the control mechanism. Zelenskyy believes that Trump's presence may encourage the head of the Kremlin to make a trip: "If Putin does not come, it will look like a complete defeat for him."
Supplement
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on May 11 that he expects a ceasefire from the Russian Federation from May 12, and that he will personally wait for Vladimir Putin in Turkey on May 15.
Prior to that, Zelenskyy and the leaders of several NATO countries spoke with Trump by telephone and emphasized that they are ready for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire from Monday. During a 15-minute conversation, Zelenskyy and NATO leaders told Trump that if an ceasefire is agreed upon, Ukraine is ready to start direct peace talks with Russia.
Later in the evening, Putin responded to the conditions. And although he did not accept the ceasefire proposal, he stated that he is ready to start direct negotiations with Ukraine on Thursday.
A few hours before Zelenskyy agreed to meet with Putin in Istanbul, Trump called on the President of Ukraine to accept the conditions in a post on Truth Social.
Axios, citing a Ukrainian official, stated that Zelenskyy's visit to Turkey will take place even if the Russian Federation does not agree to a ceasefire.
US President Donald Trump said that he may travel to Istanbul, where a potential meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin may take place on Thursday.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as Trump's special representatives Keith Kellogg and Steve Witkoff, are gathering in Turkey amid expectations of negotiations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiha is currently traveling to Turkey from Ukraine for negotiations on peace.
