In this article, President Volodymyr Zelensky responds boldly to mounting pressure from the Trump administration by declaring that he is "ready" to step down if it helps bring peace to Ukraine—a peace he envisions being achieved through American force directed at Russia. Amid intense negotiations over a contentious minerals deal that would see Ukraine trade billions in natural resources for U.S. aid, Zelensky not only pushes back at demands he deems unrealistic, but he also cheekily offers to trade his position for Ukraine's NATO membership. With more than 30 nations set to back Ukraine at a major European summit, he reaffirms his insistence that Ukraine must be an equal partner in any talks, criticizing proposals that would force Ukraine into unprecedented financial obligations, including repaying "for every dollar of aid, Ukraine must return $2."

Key points:

• Conditional Resignation for Peace: Zelensky stated, “If peace for Ukraine requires me to step down, I’m ready,” while also offering, “Another scenario: I could trade my position for NATO membership, if that’s what it takes.”
• Controversial Minerals Deal: The U.S. proposal demands Ukraine pay $500 billion by ceding revenues from natural resource extraction—a sum Zelensky argues would take 250 years to repay, rendering it “something that 10 generations of Ukrainians will have to repay.”
• Negotiations Under Pressure: The talks, crucially including both Ukraine and U.S. interests, have seen several rejected drafts due to the absence of explicit security guarantees for Ukraine.
• Escalating Tensions: The article highlights the tense back-and-forth with President Trump, who has characterized Zelensky disparagingly, reinforcing the strained U.S.-Ukraine negotiations over aid and resource deals.
• European Support Effort: Over 30 countries are set to join a coalition meeting, either in person or virtually, to unit support for Ukraine’s war effort and discuss military aid and security guarantees.
• Broader Implications: Zelensky insists on including Ukraine at the negotiation table alongside the United States, Europe, and Russia, emphasizing that any agreements must reflect Ukraine’s sovereignty and interests.
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