Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stressed the importance of strong security guarantees for Ukraine in any potential ceasefire with Russia.
Speaking in an interview with Lex Fridman on January 5, Zelenskyy shared his concerns about relying on Russia’s promises, given their history of breaking past agreements.
Russia’s History of Broken Ceasefires
Zelenskyy recalled a 2019 meeting in Paris with Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron, and then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Despite agreeing to a ceasefire during that meeting, Russia resumed attacks within weeks.
“Regarding the ceasefire… They started killing us within a month,” Zelenskyy said.
Efforts to contact Putin about the violations were ignored as the violence escalated.
He described Russia’s actions in eastern Ukraine, accusing them of training snipers and using civilians as targets.
“They were shooting from the other side, killing women, children, people. It was a hunt,” he said, adding that this occurred in regions where many residents speak Russian. Even during temporary ceasefires, violence against civilians in occupied areas continued.
The Need for Security Guarantees
Zelenskyy emphasized the need for solid security guarantees to prevent such scenarios from happening again.
He questioned what a ceasefire without these measures would mean for Ukrainians living under Russian control.
“What if we just agreed to a ceasefire without knowing what happens next, without security guarantees? What do I tell the millions of children in occupied territories? What about the tens of thousands buried in Mariupol? Do we just forgive that?” he asked.
The president also spoke about Russia’s forced conscription of Ukrainian men in occupied areas, where they are made to fight under the threat of death.
“This is happening now in Melitopol and Berdiansk. They are drafting young men, and if they don’t go, they will be killed,” Zelenskyy said.
While Zelenskyy believes President-elect Donald Trump could pressure Putin to negotiate, he warned that any ceasefire agreement without proper safeguards could backfire.
"Putin might agree to a ceasefire now because he fears Trump, but if that deal doesn’t include serious security guarantees for Ukraine, it just gives Putin a free pass,” he said.
