Ukrainian president calls ceasefire a must as 1st step toward peace with Russia

MOSCOW/ISTANBUL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that Kyiv supports all peace initiatives proposed by the US that are under its Constitution, while emphasizing that a complete ceasefire is the first step toward ending the war with Russia.

During a joint press conference with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Zelenskyy said Ukraine accepted the unconditional ceasefire proposed by US President Donald Trump and his team in Saudi Arabia, but "Russia has not reciprocated."

“And we even signaled through the media that we were ready for mirror steps—if Russia did not shoot, we would not respond,” he added.

He said that Ukraine has agreed to sign a memorandum on strategic minerals with the US, but only after ensuring it did not contradict Ukrainian legislation. “We removed everything outside the Constitution and immediately signed the memorandum,” he said.

He underlined that Ukraine would not entertain any peace proposals that compromise its national interests or violate the country’s Constitution.

“The fight for our independence, for our sovereignty and territorial integrity, is a matter of survival,” he emphasized.

London peace talks

He described recent talks in London between Ukrainian, European, and American teams as productive, saying the outcomes have been documented and will likely be submitted to President Trump for review.

“We want strong players among the guarantors of our security—those who are not afraid of Russia and who have influence over Russia. The US, Europe, and representatives of Africa must be part of it,” he said.

Zelenskyy concluded that without an immediate ceasefire, broader peace efforts would only prolong the conflict.

"This is a drag on a very long process, a very long war, which can go on for a very, very long time. A ceasefire is a political will. It is good that the parties want to end the war. And other leaders will help to end it. Someone will help politically, someone else with their tools, but this is the second step."

Kyiv partially cancels South African visit

Earlier, Zelenskyy announced Thursday that he has partially canceled the program of his South African visit due to Russian airstrikes the day before.

“As of this moment, over 80 people have been injured across Ukraine. Everyone is receiving the necessary assistance. Regrettably, 9 people have been killed in Kyiv. My condolences go out to their families and loved ones,” he wrote on X.

“Today, I will brief President (Cyril) Ramaphosa of South Africa, who currently holds the G20 Presidency, on the situation and our need to intensify global diplomatic efforts … I am canceling part of the program for this visit and will return to Ukraine immediately after the meeting with the President of South Africa,” he added.

He also said Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha “will hold all the necessary meetings in South Africa to fully inform the country’s political and civil society leaders about the situation.”