Zelensky Offers to Resign in Exchange for NATO Membership

THE NEWS

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has offered to immediately resign his office if doing so would bring lasting peace to his country – or enable NATO membership.

“If it’s about peace in Ukraine, and you really want me to leave my position – I am ready to do that,” Zelenskyy told reporters at a press conference in Kyiv on Sunday. “Secondly, I can exchange it for NATO [membership]. If there is such an opportunity, I’ll do it immediately without a long conversation about it.”

Earlier this month, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ruled out the prospect of Kyiv joining the mutual-defense alliance, calling it an “unrealistic outcome of a negotiated settlement.”

At a press conference in Kiev, Zelensky offers to step down in exchange for peace and NATO membership.

TIMELINE

Feb 12, 2025 US Rules Out Ukraine NATO Membership

• US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on that the war between Ukraine and Russia “must end,” that Kyiv joining NATO is unrealistic.

• “The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement,” Hegseth said. And he added that any security guarantees offered to Ukraine “must be backed by capable European and non-European troops.”

• “To be clear, as part of any security guarantee, there will not be US troops deployed to Ukraine,” he said.

Feb 23, 2025

Zelensky’s Kyiv Press Conference:

• At a forum in Kyiv titled "Ukraine. Year 2025," Zelensky addressed the escalating war of words with Washington and reiterated Ukraine’s NATO aspirations. He responded to Trump’s criticism , saying he was not offended by being called a “dictator” since wartime law legitimately delayed elections​, and noted that polls put his approval rating above 60%.

• Zelensky urged Trump to become a true “partner” to Ukraine rather than just a mediator, imploring the U.S. president to meet him for talks before any summit with Russia’s Vladimir Putin​.

• During the event, Zelensky also reported “progress” in negotiations on a deal to give the United States access to Ukraine’s critical mineral resources in return for security assistance​.

• He made clear, however, that any such economic deal must come with real security guarantees for Ukraine, rejecting demands that Kyiv effectively repay $500 billion in past aid – “I will not sign what 10 generations of Ukrainians will be repaying,” Zelensky said​.

The Resignation-for-NATO Offer

• In the Q&A portion of the press conference, Zelensky made his offer. He stated that he was “ready” to leave his post if that was truly needed for peace.

• "If there is peace for Ukraine, if you really need me to leave my post, I am ready,” Zelensky told reporters, adding: “I can exchange it for NATO (membership), if that condition is there, immediately.”​

• He emphasized that Ukraine’s security was worth more than his personal role – “I am happy to do that if it is for the peace of Ukraine”​.

Kremlin Reiterates Red Lines:

• Moscow’s response to the day’s events was swift and unyielding. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, speaking on state TV, hailed the ongoing dialogue between Trump and Putin as “promising”, calling the two men “extraordinary” presidents driving potential peace efforts​.

• However, Peskov bluntly rejected Zelensky’s NATO gambit, reiterating that Russia will “repeatedly [reject] NATO membership for Ukraine.” He ruled out any territorial concessions as part of a deal and insisted Moscow will never accept Ukraine joining the alliance​.

• “The people decided to join Russia a long time ago,” Peskov said of the occupied Ukrainian regions that Moscow claims to have annexed, dismissing Zelensky’s NATO hopes​.

Ukraine Deal Talks Continue:

• Meanwhile, even as the dramatic offer grabbed headlines, practical negotiations between Kyiv and Washington moved forward in the background. Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff, left the Kyiv conference early to hold “constructive” talks with senior U.S. officials about the proposed critical minerals deal linked to long-term U.S. aid​.

• On Sunday, Yermak reported “we are moving forward... constructive discussion,” indicating progress on an arrangement that would share profits from Ukraine’s vast graphite, lithium, uranium, and titanium reserves with the U.S. in exchange for security guarantees​.

• That same day, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Steve Witkoff, told CNN that an agreement to tap Ukraine’s rare-earth metals “could be signed this week.”

• He argued that “each side is going to make concessions” for peace – suggesting the U.S. expects Ukraine to yield economic benefits as part of a broader deal​.

REACTIONS

Volodymyr Zelensky (Ukrainian President): “If my stepping down gets us NATO membership and peace, I’m ready.”

Dmitry Peskov (Kremlin Spokesman): Called the proposal “irrelevant,” insisting Russia rejects NATO on its doorstep regardless of who governs Ukraine.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a Ukraine peace deal that respects the country's "territorial integrity."

WHAT'S NEXT

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and other top European Union officials are set to arrive in Kyiv on Monday for talks with Ukraine’s government.

The UK on Sunday said it would announce new sanctions on Russia Monday, its biggest package since the early days of the war. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the measures would be aimed at “eroding [Russia’s] military machine and reducing revenues fueling the fires of destruction in Ukraine.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron will make tag-team visits to Washington this week as Europe attempts to persuade Trump not to abandon Ukraine in pursuit of a peace deal.