Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his nation should select between “dignity” and U.S. help as peace deal deadline looms.
SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is suggesting that his nation’s relationship with its single most vital ally – the US – is in danger. This after the discharge of one other Kremlin-friendly plan put ahead by the Trump administration in an try to finish Russia’s warfare on Ukraine. Zelenskyy made the feedback in a video tackle as he faces stress from the Trump administration to signal onto the plan by Thanksgiving.
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PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY: (Talking Ukrainian).
DETROW: Zelenskyy informed Ukrainians that their nation is beneath immense stress and dealing with a really troublesome alternative – a lack of dignity or the chance of shedding a key associate because it defends itself from Russia. Becoming a member of us now to debate the newest developments in – is NPR’s Ukraine correspondent Joanna Kakissis. Hey, Joanna.
JOANNA KAKISSIS, BYLINE: Hey, Scott.
DETROW: I imply, this feels like fairly the speech from Zelenskyy. What extra are you able to inform us about it?
KAKISSIS: Effectively, Zelenskyy spoke as we speak as a part of Ukraine’s Dignity and Freedom Day, which honors those that have died making an attempt to protect Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty. It is a day that is massively symbolic after almost 4 years of Russia’s full-scale warfare. Now, Zelenskyy appeared to sense the importance of this second as a result of his nation is as soon as once more beneath stress by the Trump administration.
Now, on this speech, Zelenskyy didn’t particularly identify the U.S. as the important thing associate Ukraine was vulnerable to shedding. Nonetheless, he did meet this week with a navy delegation from the U.S. in an effort to restart peace talks, and he was offered with this 28-point proposal to finish the warfare – one drafted by Trump’s Center East envoy Steve Witkoff and Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev. As an alternative of going by means of the proposal level by level, Zelenskyy talked about what his focus can be within the coming days.
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ZELENSKYY: (Talking Ukrainian).
KAKISSIS: He is saying he’ll current arguments and provide options however that he is not going to give the Kremlin causes to say Ukraine doesn’t need peace or is just not prepared for diplomacy.
DETROW: What precisely on this plan is so controversial?
KAKISSIS: So earlier than I get into that, I ought to say a U.S. official informed NPR’s Tom Bowman that Military secretary Dan Driscoll insisted to European ambassadors that the doc will change as a part of the collaborative course of. Nonetheless, Ukraine sees the proposal in its present type as a recipe for Ukrainian capitulation as a result of it presents Russia way over was mentioned in earlier negotiations to finish this warfare. Like, calls for embrace Ukraine surrendering territory, chopping its navy, giving up some long-range weapons and dropping its bid to affix the North Atlantic Treaty Group.
Now, the proposal doesn’t seem – I am sorry – the proposal does seem to offer Ukraine safety ensures to guard itself from Russia. However Ukraine and its European allies say Russia doesn’t follow offers. Zelenskyy stated in his speech that European leaders see Russia as a risk.
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ZELENSKYY: (Talking Ukrainian).
KAKISSIS: He is saying that Ukrainians should do all the pieces to make sure that when this warfare ends, Ukraine and Europe don’t finish with it.
DETROW: Now, Joanna, Zelenskyy has made comparable warnings earlier than. You could have coated them. Does this one really feel extra pressing now?
KAKISSIS: Sure, and that is for numerous causes. Zelenskyy is dealing with an enormous political disaster at dwelling, with this vitality corruption scandal that has implicated his shut associates. Ukrainians are dealing with blackouts as Russia repeatedly hits the nation’s vitality grid, and Ukrainian forces are dealing with extra stress on the entrance line as Russian troops have infiltrated a key metropolis in jap Ukraine.
DETROW: What is the Kremlin saying about this?
KAKISSIS: Effectively, really, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke concerning the proposal tonight, confirming that he’d seen it. He informed a Russian Safety Council assembly in Moscow that this proposal is a modernized model of a plan he mentioned with Trump at a summit in Alaska this summer season. Now, Putin says he believes this plan can be utilized as a foundation for a closing peaceable settlement, although he added that there has not been a lot dialogue in Russia about this as a result of, he stated, the U.S. had but to persuade Ukraine to just accept this deal.
DETROW: That is NPR Ukraine correspondent Joanna Kakissis. Thanks a lot.
KAKISSIS: You are welcome.
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