Today, October 24, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made several important statements, emphasizing the need for a strong army and support from the United States. He noted that Ukraine cannot afford a weak president, as it could lead to threats from Russia.
Readiness for Peace Talks
Zelensky stated that Ukraine is ready to conclude a peace agreement as soon as possible, but will not recognize the occupied territories as Russian. According to him, Russia currently controls 19.3% of Ukraine's territory, and the demand to transfer another 25% would effectively mean giving up the entire Donbas region. The president emphasized:
- “We will not agree to recognize temporarily occupied territory as Russian”;
- “Readiness to freeze hostilities does not mean agreeing to the legal recognition of occupied territories.”
Feelings of Lack of Support from the US
The president also expressed his feelings about the support from the United States, noting that he feels a lack of support. He hopes that Donald Trump did not ask Vladimir Putin to stop providing intelligence to Ukraine. Zelensky emphasized that Trump's friendship with the Russian dictator is a personal decision of the American president.
The War in the Middle East and Its Impact on Ukraine
The president also drew attention to the war in the Middle East, noting that in the first 84 hours of the conflict, the parties used about two thousand missiles received from partners. Meanwhile, Ukraine received only 24 missiles from its strategic partner in the last 90 days. These facts highlight the importance of support from international partners for Ukraine in times of war.