Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has said it will not be easy to replace him but reiterated his willingness to step down in exchange for NATO membership for Ukraine.
This comes amid growing pressure from United States Republicans following a heated Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump.
Speaking to British media on Sunday, Zelenskyy made clear that removing him from office would not be straightforward.
“If they replace me, given what is going on, given the support, simply replacing me will not be simple,” he stated.
CNN reports that Zelenskyy also suggested that preventing him from running in an election would be a challenge, adding, “It’s not enough to just hold an election. You also need to not let me run. This will be a bit more difficult. Looks like you will have to negotiate with me.”
His comments followed a contentious meeting at the White House on Friday, where Trump reportedly turned against him, leading to the collapse of a preliminary agreement on sharing Ukrainian mineral rights. While European leaders reaffirmed their support for Ukraine, Republican officials in the US questioned whether Zelenskyy should remain in power.
National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz told CNN that the US needs a leader in Ukraine who can engage with both Washington and Moscow to end the war.
“And if it becomes apparent that President Zelensky’s either personal motivations or political motivations are divergent from ending the fighting in this country, then I think we have a real issue,” Waltz said.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, went further, implying that Zelenskyy might need to step aside, saying, “Either he needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude, or someone else needs to lead the country.”
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However, Democrats have strongly criticised Trump’s handling of the situation, warning that he is dangerously close to aligning with Russia.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy continues to push for Ukraine’s NATO membership as a condition for ending the war. However, NATO members, led by the US, have been hesitant to make such a commitment.
Trump, who previously dismissed Ukraine’s NATO aspirations, reiterated his stance last month, stating, “I think that’s probably the reason the whole thing started.” Russia, which invaded Ukraine three years ago, has long cited Ukraine’s potential NATO membership as a key justification for its actions.
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