Voludmir Zelinski said he would be ready to “give up” his presidency in exchange for peace before the third anniversary of Russia’s extensive invasion of Ukraine.

In response to a question during a press conference, Ukrainian President said: “If I need me to leave this chair, I am ready to do this.

His comments came after US President Donald Trump described Zelensky as “a dictator without elections” earlier in the week.

“I was not insulting [by the comment]But a dictator will be, “Zelinski, who was democratically elected in May 2019, responded to Sunday.

Zelinski said he is currently focusing on Ukraine’s security and his “dream” was his president for a decade.

Ukrainian legislation prohibits elections during the martial law, which had been present since the full invasion of Russia in February 2022.

The European Union and world leaders are scheduled to go to Kyiv on Monday to show their support for Ukraine and discuss security guarantees.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Lin is among those who are expected to attend the meeting personally.

Zelinski said that the issue of Ukraine’s accession to NATO will be “On the table” at the meeting, but he did not know how the discussions would end. He said he hoped the meeting will be a “turning point.”

Regarding Trump’s topic, Zelinski said he wanted to see the American president as a partner of Ukraine and more than a mediator between Kiev and Moscow.

“I really want to be more than just mediation … this is not enough,” he told the press conference. His comments as political leaders in Europe are afraid that Kyiv will be marginalized in talks to end the war.

Zelensky was also asked about a potential deal that the Trump administration prompted to provide access to the United States to the rare Ukrainian land minerals.

“We are making progress,” Zelinski said, adding that Ukrainian and American officials were in contact with the deal.

“We are ready to participate,” the Ukrainian leader said, but they made it clear that Washington needs to guarantee Russian President Vladimir Putin “this war ends.”

Ukrainian officials said that Zelinski’s press conference came hours after Russia launched the largest attack on drones at Ukraine so far during the current conflict.

On Saturday night, Ukraine Air Force spokesman Yuri Ignat said that a “record number 267” Russian drones had been launched in one coordinated attack on the country.

Emergency services said that thirteen areas were targeted, and while many drones were caught, those that did not destroy the infrastructure and at least three losses.

Air Force Ukraine stated that 138 drones were shot down and that 119, which were drones, had been lost without negative consequences, probably due to the confusion.

In Kyiv, the attack meant six hours of weather alerts.

In a statement, Zelinski claimed that 1,150 drones, 1,400 bombs and 35 missiles launched by Russia this week.

He thanked the emergency services in Ukraine for its response to the attack on Saturday night and called for the support of Europe and the United States in facilitating a “permanent and just peace”.

In a post on X, First Lady Olina Zelinska in Ukraine said that “hundreds of drones” brought “death and destruction” overnight.

“It was another night of explosions, homes and burning cars, and destroyed the infrastructure,” she wrote. “Another night when people prayed to survive.”

On Monday, the war will enter its third year.

As is the case, diplomatic quarrels continue on a possible peace deal, as Ukraine, European allies and the United States offer different visions of how to end the conflict.

the The United States and Russia held preliminary talks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia This week – without delegates from Europe, including Ukraine, which led to European leaders with a hurry in Paris.

Zelinski criticized the exclusion of Ukraine from the US talks, Russia, saying that Trump was “living in misleading information” governed by Moscow, which prompted Trump to respond to The Ukrainian President described it as a “dictator”.

French President Emmanuel Macron Washington is expected to visit Monday, while the UK Prime Minister Sir Starmer will be there on Thursday.

Sir Kiir publicly supported Zelinski, Repetition “IronClad” in the United Kingdom KievHe said he would discuss the importance of Ukraine when he speaks to Trump.

Pope Francis – Which is in the hospital with respiratory disease – He wrote in statements issued on Sunday that the third anniversary of the war was “a painful occasion and ashamed of the entire humanity.”