Ukraine without America: Zelensky Talks About “Slim Chances” of Survival

16th February 2025

4 minutes read

Ukraine without America: Zelensky Talks About "Slim Chances" of Survival

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that his country would have “slim chances” of surviving against Russia without military support from the United States.

This was stated in an interview with NBC News, which will be fully broadcast on Sunday during the Munich Security Conference.

He added, “We would have a slim chance, a very slim chance of surviving without the support of the United States. I think this is extremely important.”

U.S. Vice President JD Vance confirmed on Friday that Washington is seeking to secure a “lasting” peace in Ukraine, during his first meeting in Munich with the Ukrainian president.

This meeting in Germany marks a pivotal moment for Kiev in its efforts to maintain Washington’s support, after U.S. President Donald Trump surprised his allies by initiating peace efforts with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

At the end of the meeting, Vance stated, “We want to achieve a lasting and strong peace, not one that would bring Eastern Europe into conflict again in just two years.”

According to the U.S. Vice President, he had “good talks” with Zelensky on ways to achieve this goal, and they plan to continue discussions “in the coming days, weeks, and months.”

For his part, the Ukrainian president praised the “good conversation,” saying that the meeting with Vance was “our first, but certainly not the last.”

Zelensky also stated, “We are ready to move as quickly as possible towards real and guaranteed peace.”

Trump‘s statements raised concerns in Ukraine and among European allies on Wednesday when he agreed to start peace talks in his first public call with Putin since returning to office.

Trump also sparked fears of abandoning Ukraine after nearly three years of fighting against Moscow.

U.S. officials emphasized that Zelensky would participate in negotiations, while the Ukrainian leader stated he would only be willing to meet with Putin after agreeing on a “joint plan” with his allies.

He added, “I am ready to meet only under this condition.”

Before meeting with the Ukrainian president, Vance reaffirmed that the United States is ready to pressure Russia, stating that Europe should “of course” be at the table.

However, the U.S. Vice President also urged Europe to “intensify” its defense efforts, so that the U.S. can focus on threats elsewhere in the world.

U.S. officials have made contradictory statements regarding Washington’s strategy after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth excluded Ukraine from joining NATO or reclaiming all of its occupied territories.

Trump‘s Phone Number

These statements raised major concerns in Kiev and Europe, fearing Ukraine would be forced to sign a bad deal that leaves the continent facing Russia.

But JD Vance told the Wall Street Journal that Trump would put everything “on the table” in potential talks, and that Washington might even use “military leverage” against Russia to force it to reach an agreement.

After Trump named Saudi Arabia as a potential meeting place with Putin, the country welcomed hosting talks between the two leaders.

The U.S. Vice President did not reveal more during his speech at the Munich Security Conference, instead focusing on criticizing Europe on issues like migration and free speech, while avoiding addressing the war in Ukraine.

However, Zelensky attempted to minimize concerns during the conference, joking that the U.S. president had given him his personal number when they spoke on the phone.

Zelensky added, talking about Trump, “If he chooses our side, and if he doesn’t take a neutral position, I believe he will press and push Putin to stop the war.”

French President Emmanuel Macron, for his part, confirmed on Friday to Zelensky that “Ukrainians are the only ones capable of leading the discussions for a strong and lasting peace” with Russia. He wrote on X after speaking with the Ukrainian president: “We will help them with that.”

Macron added that if Trump “can truly convince President Putin to stop the aggression against Ukraine, that would be excellent news.”

Zelensky, in turn, thanked his French counterpart for continuing to defend the principle of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.” He added, “We discussed many important issues, including security guarantees and specific proposals from France,” without going into details.

In an attempt to maintain closeness with Washington, Kiev held talks with the U.S. side about access to its rare mineral resources in exchange for future security support.

European allies, who are among Ukraine’s strongest supporters alongside Washington, have called to be involved in negotiations that could affect their continent’s security.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that forcing Ukraine into a bad deal would also harm American interests.