Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that if Donald Trump withdraws US support for Ukraine, Europe alone will not be able to meet the needs.
His statement comes on the eve of his most important diplomatic trip since the full-scale invasion of Russia three years ago, in Munich.
“There are voices saying that Europe can provide security guarantees without the Americans, and I always say no,” the Ukrainian president said during an interview with The Guardian in Kiev. “Security guarantees without America are not real security guarantees,” he added.
Zelensky said he was ready to negotiate, but wanted Ukraine to do so from an ally and said he would offer lucrative reconstruction contracts and investment concessions to American companies.
"Those who are helping us to save Ukraine will have the opportunity to renew it, with their businesses together with Ukrainian businesses. We are ready to talk about all this in detail," he said.
Zelensky will travel to the Munich Security Conference this week, where he expects to meet US Vice President JD Vance.
At last year's conference, Vance, then a senator, refused to meet with Zelensky, and he has previously said he doesn't really care what happens with Ukraine.
Zelensky also said he is planning to meet other members of Trump's team, as well as influential senators in Munich, but "there is still no date to meet Trump himself," he said.
"We hope that our teams will set a date and a meeting plan in the US, as soon as it is agreed upon we are ready, I am ready," he said.