On Wednesday, February 19, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a press conference where he addressed several important topics, including negotiations between the USA and Russia, as well as Donald Trump's statements regarding the level of trust in Ukraine.
Key points from Zelensky's address
Summit on February 24
The President noted that Ukraine plans to hold a summit with partners ahead of the anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.
The summit will take place on February 24, with leaders participating both in person and online. Zelensky emphasized that this is an important meeting symbolizing the support of Ukraine from its allies.
Outcomes of visits to Munich, the UAE, and Turkey
Zelensky reported that following the Munich conference, Ukraine secured new agreements on defense assistance and received commitments for increased support from several countries.
He also discussed prospects for cooperation with the UAE, particularly in the agricultural sector and in technology. During his visit to Turkey, the President highlighted the importance of ensuring the country's security and establishing relevant guarantees.
US and Russia negotiations in Saudi Arabia
Zelensky expressed his views on the negotiations between the USA and Russia that took place in Saudi Arabia. The President noted that the USA is facilitating the lifting of Russia's isolation, enabling Putin to re-enter the international stage. Ukraine is prepared for any scenarios, but this raises concerns about weakening positions at the international level.
Assistance from the USA and European countries
Zelensky also commented on Trump's statements regarding the volume of American aid, stressing that while the USA is the largest supplier of support, Ukraine has also received significant assistance from Europe.
The President clarified that the total amount of military aid has reached $320 billion, of which a significant portion comes from allies.
I think we need to clarify the assistance. We have absolute figures. The war has cost us $320 billion. $120 billion is from us, the people of Ukraine, and $200 billion is from the USA and the EU. We are talking about weapons; this is a weapons package of $320 billion. The USA has separately provided us with about $67 billion in weapons, and we have received an additional $31.5 billion in financial aid for the budget.
Trump's remarks on the "4% rating"
In response to Donald Trump's claims about a 4% trust level among Ukrainians, Zelensky dismissed these figures, emphasizing that they are part of a Russian disinformation campaign.
He promised to release real sociological data that would accurately reflect public sentiment.
Agreement on rare earth metals
Zelensky explained why the agreement with the USA on rare earth metals has not yet been signed. According to him, the document contains conditions that do not align with Ukraine's interests, particularly regarding the 50% share that the country must transfer to the USA without security guarantees.
The President stated that he is open to public negotiations and joint proposals.
I suggested: let’s have something positive; you write some guarantees, and we will write some percentages in a memorandum. I was told: only 50%. I said: "Okay, no." And let the lawyers work on that further.
Security guarantees
The President also emphasized the importance of obtaining security guarantees for Ukraine. He stated that the country aims to secure these guarantees this year, and in the absence of NATO, Ukraine is seeking alternatives through international agreements and support from major armies.
Security guarantees are all on the table. I offered NATO (referring to Ukraine's accession to NATO — ed.). And I understand that every time I mention this, they don't like it when we talk about it. But we are saying what we believe. We cannot just say, "We need to give something to the Russians, to make a concession." We do not want security guarantees from the Russians. We have not even reached the terms regarding the Russians. When we talk about an agreement, then we will discuss that the Russians are to blame for this war.
Sanctions against Poroshenko
He briefly commented on the imposition of sanctions against former President Petro Poroshenko, noting that law enforcement agencies are conducting an investigation, and the sanctions target individuals who facilitated the withdrawal of funds from Ukraine.
Let law enforcement explain the reasons. All this was presented at the National Security and Defense Council, financial monitoring reported it all, there is an investigation, and the sanctions are not imposed on Petro Poroshenko; do not subjectively interpret a person who withdraws funds from our state; there is a list of people who were involved in this.
Trip with Kellogg to the frontline
Zelensky emphasized that Ukrainians do not support any concessions to the aggressor, with only 1% of the population inclined to compromise with Russia.
He announced a trip to the frontline with Trump representative Keith Kellogg, so that he could see for himself the real sentiments of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians.
Let him talk to the military to see if they are ready to urgently vote to go home, give everything to the Russians, and have no security guarantees. Let him ask the people who live here and fight. For me, it is important for Kellogg to obtain information himself and understand what is happening. If he wishes, he will get it. We are open to this request from that side.
Lack of missiles for Patriot
The President also mentioned the issue of insufficient missile supplies for the Patriot system, which is a critical component of Ukraine's air defense. He described how Ukrainian forces are facing a critical shortage of ammunition and called on the USA to provide a sufficient number of missiles or grant a license for their production.
When at 3, 4, or 5 in the morning, a commander calls me and says: "We are now near this city and we have no missiles for the Patriot system; we have exhausted them." He says there are currently eight missiles on the way, but we have no missiles for the air defense systems.