President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on EU leaders on Thursday to support the idea of a truce between Russian and Ukrainian forces in the air and at sea, saying it would be a chance to test Moscow's will to end its three-year invasion.
"Everyone needs to make sure that Russia, as the sole source of this war, accepts the need to end it," Zelenskiy said, addressing a summit in Brussels where European leaders have gathered to discuss defense spending and support for Ukraine after the US paused military aid to Kyiv.
"This can be proved by two forms of silence that are easy to establish and monitor, namely, no attacks on energy and other civilian infrastructure – truce for missiles, bombs, and long-range drones, and the second is truce on the water, meaning no military operations in the Black Sea," Zelenskiy added.
He underlined that any such truce could only be seen as a first step towards comprehensive agreement on ending the war and providing security guarantees to Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian leader, the release of all prisoners of war could also be a means of establishing "basic trust".
Zelenskiy once again stressed the need to adhere to the principle of no talks on Ukraine without Ukraine after US President Donald Trump engaged in bilateral talks with Russia, sidelining Kyiv and European leaders.
"Anything that affects the security of Europe should be resolved with the participation of Europe," he added, welcoming a new rearmament plan to boost the EU's defense spending.
The summit in Brussels takes place after a disastrous Zelenskiy-Trump clash in the Oval Office last week, and weeks of harsh criticism of Zelenskiy from the Trump administration as the US president presses for prompt end to Russia's war in Ukraine.
"Let me emphasize once again that Ukrainians do really want peace, but not at the cost of giving up Ukraine," Zelenskiy said.
As Ukrainian and American officials agreed to hold a meeting next week, Zelenskiy expressed hope that it would be "meaningful".
