Zelenskyy says Ukraine likely unable to survive without US assistance
The bleak outlook arises as the conflict seems to be transitioning into a new stage.
TroibNews 
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed concerns that without U.S. military support, Ukraine is likely to lose its war against Russia. He highlighted that while Ukraine has ramped up its military defense production since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion, the country would face a "low chance" of survival if support from the U.S. were to diminish under President Donald Trump. In an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press," scheduled to air on Sunday, Zelenskyy stated, “It will be very, very, very difficult. And, of course, in all the difficult situations, you have a chance. But we will have a low chance — low chance to survive without support of the United States.”
This bleak outlook comes as the conflict seems to be evolving, with Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently discussing the possibility of negotiating an end to the war on terms that may be favorable to Russia.
Zelenskyy met with Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference, reiterating that Ukraine seeks security guarantees before engaging in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The U.S. has contributed billions in military aid to Ukraine and has mobilized international allies to do the same while imposing significant sanctions on Russia. However, as Trump advocates for a resolution to the conflict, the level of aid is anticipated to decline, although he has indicated that additional support might be available in exchange for access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals.
On Wednesday, Trump initiated a renewed effort to negotiate an end to Russia's invasion through a nearly 90-minute phone call with Putin. Zelenskyy, who has consistently called for a “just peace” that includes solid security guarantees from Ukraine’s allies to deter future aggression, expressed concerns that the Kremlin might exploit any ceasefire to "pause, prepare, train" and potentially launch another offensive in the years to come.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
This bleak outlook comes as the conflict seems to be evolving, with Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently discussing the possibility of negotiating an end to the war on terms that may be favorable to Russia.
Zelenskyy met with Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference, reiterating that Ukraine seeks security guarantees before engaging in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The U.S. has contributed billions in military aid to Ukraine and has mobilized international allies to do the same while imposing significant sanctions on Russia. However, as Trump advocates for a resolution to the conflict, the level of aid is anticipated to decline, although he has indicated that additional support might be available in exchange for access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals.
On Wednesday, Trump initiated a renewed effort to negotiate an end to Russia's invasion through a nearly 90-minute phone call with Putin. Zelenskyy, who has consistently called for a “just peace” that includes solid security guarantees from Ukraine’s allies to deter future aggression, expressed concerns that the Kremlin might exploit any ceasefire to "pause, prepare, train" and potentially launch another offensive in the years to come.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
