Key takeaways from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s press conference at the «Ukraine. Year 2025» forum

▫️ On February 24, 37 state leaders will participate in the summit in Kyiv, with 13 attending in person, including leaders from Northern Europe and EU officials.

▫️ It is Ukraine that invites others to the negotiation table, not the other way around, because the war is happening in Ukraine. We view this negotiation table as Ukraine as part of Europe, alongside Europe, the U.S., and Russia.

▫️ I believe that the U.S. will do everything to end the hot phase of the war this year. However, doing so without helping us would be an entirely different approach.

▫️ For the U.S. ending the war means a ceasefire.

▫️ We do not need security guarantees from Russia – we do not trust them. We cannot allow security guarantees to be based on Putin’s words that he «won’t come back».

▫️ If russia stops fighting, they will only prepare for another offensive. This is dangerous.

▫️ I will not sign anything that future generations of Ukrainians will have to pay for over ten generations.

▫️ The agreement with the U.S. must be «win-win» for both nations.

▫️ «Palianytsia» is flying, «Peklo» is flying, «Ruta» is flying. These systems are hitting military targets successfully. Ukraine is working on domestic alternatives to the «Patriot» air defense system.

▫️ In 2024, Ukraine produced 154 artillery systems – more than all NATO countries combined – and aims to increase the share of domestic weaponry to 50% by 2025.

▫️ If we talk about economic security guarantees, they include Ukraine’s EU membership and funding for the Ukrainian army – at least 800,000 troops.

▫️ Ukraine has received $100 billion in aid from the U.S., contributed $120 billion itself, and received another $100 billion from Europe and other partners.

▫️ NATO is the most cost-effective security guarantee for Ukraine. The issue of Ukraine’s NATO membership, as the most affordable security guarantee, will certainly be on the table in discussions on security guarantees and ending the war.

▫️ Europeans must invest in their own defense capabilities, as they must rely on themselves. I propose a unifying platform – Ukraine as the first step toward a united European army.