With the war against Russia grinding toward its third year, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine delivered a startling concession on Sunday: He would relinquish his post if it meant securing peace or cementing his nation’s place in NATO. Speaking at a forum in Kyiv titled “Ukraine. The Year 2025,” Mr. Zelensky cast his potential exit as a bargaining chip, a dramatic gesture from a leader who has become a global symbol of defiance since Moscow’s invasion began in 2022.
“If there is peace for Ukraine, if you really need me to leave my post, I am ready,” he said, his voice steady before a throng of journalists. “Or I can exchange it for NATO.” The offer, made on the cusp of a pivotal international summit here, arrives as Ukraine grapples with unrelenting Russian assaults and a shifting geopolitical landscape—one where President Donald J. Trump, newly returned to the White House, has vowed to hasten an end to the conflict.
Mr. Zelensky’s remarks signal a tactical pivot. Once unwavering in his refusal to cede ground—literal or political—he now confronts a war-weary nation and a chorus of critics questioning his prolonged tenure. Elected in a 2019 landslide, his term expired last year, but martial law has suspended elections, a move that has drawn barbs from Mr. Trump, who recently called him a “dictator.” Mr. Zelensky brushed off the slight with a faint grin: “A dictator would be offended.”
Yet at home, his grip on public trust remains firm. A survey this month found 69% of Ukrainians support his staying on until the fighting stops. Still, the war’s toll is stark: Russian forces hold a fifth of Ukraine’s land, and drone strikes have darkened its cities. Against this backdrop, Mr. Zelensky’s openness to stepping aside reflects both pragmatism and desperation—a bid to trade personal power for collective security.
The timing is no accident. On Monday, leaders from 13 nations will convene in Kyiv, with 24 more joining online, for talks that Mr. Zelensky called “crucial.” NATO membership, a Ukrainian dream long thwarted by Russian threats and Western caution, hangs in the balance. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dampened hopes last week, saying the alliance was “off the table” for now. Undeterred, Mr. Zelensky dangled another lure: Ukraine’s $350 billion in mineral wealth, much of it in occupied zones. “We are ready to speak about minerals,” he said, provided it forces Vladimir V. Putin’s hand.
For Mr. Zelensky, who traded a comedian’s stage for a wartime presidency, the stakes have never been higher. His readiness to walk away underscores a bitter truth: Ukraine’s survival may demand sacrifices beyond the battlefield. As the summit looms, the world watches whether his gambit will yield peace, a NATO umbrella—or simply another chapter in a punishing war.