Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kiev has supported American peace proposals aimed at ending the war with Russia, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
In an interview published by the publication "Atlantic", the Ukrainian leader said that Kiev is ready to hold both presidential elections and a referendum on the peace agreement, but will not agree to a deal that harms Ukraine's interests.
“The tactic we have chosen is such that the Americans do not think that we want the war to continue“, Zelensky told the American publication. "That's why we started supporting their proposals in any format that speeds up the process," he explained.
Zelensky added that Ukraine "is not afraid of anything." "Are we ready for elections? We are ready. Are we ready for a referendum? We are ready," he stressed.
Zelensky has been trying to build good relations with Washington since his meeting with Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in February 2025, which escalated into an argument and shouting matches between the leaders.
But the Ukrainian president has now said he has rejected a proposal, reported this week by the "Financial Times", to set February 24 as the date for a possible election in Ukraine. February 24 marks the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Zelensky recalled that a ceasefire and proposed American security guarantees against a future Russian invasion of Ukraine have not yet been agreed upon, he said.
“Nobody has clung to power“, he added to “The Atlantic“ “I am ready for elections. But for that we need security, security guarantees, a ceasefire“, Zelensky pointed out, arguing why a date for a possible vote in Ukraine will not be announced on February 24.
Zelensky added: “I do not think a bad agreement should be put to a referendum“.
The Ukrainian leader has said in recent weeks that the document on security guarantees for Ukraine is almost ready to be signed. But now he has admitted to the American publication that the details have not yet been settled, including the question of whether the United States would be prepared to shoot down enemy missiles over Ukraine if Russia violates the peace agreement.
“This has not yet been settled,“ Zelensky said. “We have raised the issue and will continue to raise it… "All this must be recorded," the Ukrainian leader said.
At the same time, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that he would have the opportunity to meet with the Ukrainian president during the Munich Security Conference.
Four people were injured, one of whom was hospitalized in serious condition, as a result of the drone attack in Odessa, the chairman of the Odessa Regional Military Administration Oleg Kiper announced on his Telegram channel, BTA reported.
"The enemy continues massive attacks on the Odessa region with drones. Despite the active work of the air defense forces, hits and falling fragments of drones have been recorded. Residential, industrial, energy and port infrastructure in the Odessa region has been damaged," Kiper said.
In the Ukrainian Black Sea city, damage was caused to a car dealership and a resort facility, as well as to a multi-storey residential building.
All relevant services are working on the ground.
Former MP from the "Radical Party" Roman Kalish has died at the front, FOCUS reported.
Former MP Oleg Lyashko reported this on his Facebook page.
According to him, Kalish died as a result of a Russian drone attack. Lyashko also noted that the former MP previously served in the "Alpha" special unit of the Security Service of Ukraine.
He later retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel. However, after the start of the full-scale invasion, he was mobilized and went to defend Ukraine at the front. Lyashko also shared a photo with Kalisz from 2014, after the return of Slavyansk.
"In the photo: me and Roman in Slavyansk in July 2014, on the second day after its liberation by the Russians. We are raising our flag on the building of the local SBU, which the Russians turned into a prison“, Lyashko wrote.