Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his speech at the 62nd International Security Conference in Munich yesterday that the peace talks with Russia are not failing due to a lack of desire on the part of Kiev, DPA reported.
"We are ready for an agreement that will bring real peace. We believe that this war can be ended. This war can be ended with dignity", he said in Munich.
"We have given our partners everything that we believe such a deal should include", he said, adding that Kiev is "ready to invest in common security" of Europe.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump noted that Zelensky could miss a chance to achieve peace in Ukraine if he does not "get moving", DPA recalls.
The US president's statement increases Washington's pressure on Kiev ahead of a new round of negotiations scheduled for next week in the Swiss city of Geneva.
In this regard, Zelensky had a telephone conversation yesterday with President Trump's special envoy - Steve Witkoff, and with the head of state's son-in-law - Jared Kushner. The next steps to end the war in Ukraine were specifically discussed on the spot in Munich with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
On the topic of the elections in Ukraine, Zelensky said at a discussion forum yesterday that holding a vote during a war is extremely difficult, since the fighting affects not only soldiers on the front line, but also civilians who are under fire, DPA indicated. He said Ukraine needed "two months" to prepare for a possible election.
With a ceasefire, security and the necessary infrastructure, it would be possible to "organize" such a vote, Zelensky added. He estimates that about 7,000 Ukrainians are being held "in Russian captivity," while there are over 4,000 Russian prisoners of war in Ukraine.
Touching upon the situation on the battlefield, Zelensky said that Russia is paying dearly for its slow advance in the eastern part of Donbas, with 35,000 soldiers killed or seriously wounded in December and 30,000 in January. The Ukrainian head of state noted that Moscow is losing 156 soldiers for every square kilometer gained, adding that losses of 50,000 per month could push the Kremlin towards real negotiations.
When asked whether Ukraine needs the German Taurus cruise missiles, which have a range of about 500 kilometers, Zelensky answered "Yes." He added that no decision has yet been made on their delivery.
“Not a single power plant“ has been spared from Russian strikes, Zelensky said in Munich, quoted by Agence France-Presse. According to him, supplies from allies for Ukrainian air defense sometimes arrive “at the last minute“.
In his approximately 30-minute speech at the Munich Security Conference, the Ukrainian leader also called Russian President Vladimir Putin “a slave of war“. Nearly four years after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which will be completed on February 24, Zelensky also expressed regret at the slow pace of political decisions needed to counter the Russian attacks.
Meanwhile, in Munich, Zelensky was awarded the “Ewald von Kleist” for 2026 for the courage and resistance demonstrated by all Ukrainians. He was awarded the prize on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference at a reception given yesterday by the Prime Minister of Bavaria, Markus Söder.