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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with German Chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz and responded to a question about the possibility of freezing the war, a topic raised by former US President Donald Trump a day earlier.
Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine desires an end to the war more than anyone. However, he noted that peace cannot be achieved diplomatically unless Russia is forced to end the conflict.
“Putin does not want this war to end. He can only be forced to do so by force — a strong Ukraine on the battlefield, a powerful army, and continued weapons support,” Zelenskyy said.
The President stressed the importance of security guarantees and progress toward NATO membership. While Ukraine cannot join NATO immediately, he sees an invitation as a critical step and plans to discuss this with U.S. President Biden.
Zelenskyy highlighted the need for advanced weaponry to strengthen Ukraine’s defense, specifically mentioning long-range systems like ATACMS, Taurus, Storm Shadow, and Scalp.
He also referred to French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposal for a temporary presence of allied troops in Ukraine as a security measure before full NATO membership. “Temporary measures can be considered, but only as a transitional stage,” Zelenskyy added, urging for a clear timeline for Ukraine’s EU and NATO integration
Read also: Trump says “formulating concept” to end Russia’s war against Ukraine
