Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he hopes the country can end its war with Russia this year. This was on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Zelensky spoke at a summit in Kyiv, where leaders from Europe and Canada were meeting to show their support for Ukraine. He said it had been very difficult for the whole nation during these three years.
To prevent Russia returning in the future, Zelensky said Ukraine needs security guarantees. He believes joining the EU and Nato would help achieve this. Russia has consistently opposed Ukraine’s membership in Nato.
Recently, Zelensky said he was willing to step down as president if Ukraine joined Nato. However, Russia made it clear that this would not be part of any peace deal.
Zelensky also talked about prisoner exchanges with Russia. He suggested a complete exchange could start the process of ending the war. There have been 60 such exchanges since the conflict began.
Ukraine does not publish numbers, but it is estimated that over 8,000 Ukrainians are being held by Russia as prisoners of war. Zelensky emphasized that this is a fair and just option for peace.
Leaders from many European countries attended the summit, including Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. However, there was no US representation at the meeting.
In her speech, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X: “It’s Europe’s destiny” in Ukraine’s fight against Russia. She also said that if Ukraine continues to reform quickly and well, it could join the European Union by 2030.
This summit took place ahead of a planned meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump. The war in Ukraine is expected to be a key topic at this meeting.