Zelensky offers to step down for peace and NATO membership amid largest Russian drone attack

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, president of Ukraine says he is willing to relinquish his position in exchange for peace and membership in NATO as his country was hit by what he called the largest Russian drone attack it has faced since the war began.

Zelenskiy made the offer during a news conference in Kyiv on Sunday, as tensions grow between him and the new U.S. government under President Donald Trump, coinciding with the three-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Read also: Trump blames Zelenskiy for Russia- Ukraine war

“If it means peace for Ukraine, if you really need me to leave my post, I am ready,” Zelenskiy said. “I can exchange this for NATO membership, if that condition is there, immediately.”

In contrast to the previous U.S. administration under President Joe Biden, which strongly supported Zelenskiy and Ukraine, Trump has increasingly criticized the Ukrainian president since taking office last month. Last week, Trump labelled Zelenskiy a “dictator” with little backing from the Ukrainian people, following remarks from Zelenskiy accusing Trump of spreading “disinformation space” after the U.S. president said views aligned with Russia on the war.

“I wasn’t offended [by the comment], but a dictator would be,” Zelenskiy, who was democratically elected in May 2019, responded on Sunday.

But Zelenskiy said on Sunday that he wanted the US president to be a partner rather than just a mediator.

“I really want it to be more than just mediation… That’s not enough,” Zelenskiy said, adding that he wanted to meet Trump before any meeting between the US leader and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The US appears to be making its support for Ukraine conditional on a deal for the latter’s rare earth minerals. Washington initially demanded 50 percent ownership of the minerals in exchange for its continued support of Kyiv, Al Jazeera reported.

Read also: Trump tells dictator Zelenskiy to move fast for peace or lose Ukraine Reuters

Ukraine has indicated a deal could be negotiated, but Zelenskiy on Sunday rejected Trump’s assertion that his country owed $500bn to the US. The Ukrainian president said the money given was in the form of grants, not loans, and should not be tied to any mineral deal.

“We are making progress,” Zelensky said, adding that Ukrainian and US officials had been in touch about the deal.

“We are ready to share,” the Ukrainian leader said, but made clear that Washington first needed to ensure Russian President Vladimir Putin “ends this war”.

EU and world leaders are due to head to Kyiv on Monday to show their support for Ukraine and discuss security guarantees.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are among those expected to attend the meeting in person.

Zelensky said the topic of Ukraine joining Nato would be “on the table” at the meeting but he did not know how the discussions would “finish”. He said he hoped the meeting would be a “turning point”.

Russia’s largest drone attack

Zelensky held this press conference just hours after Russia launched its largest single drone attack on Ukraine since the war began, launching 267 drones against his country overnight, according to Ukrainian officials.

Writing on social media, Zelensky said that in the past week, Russia had launched nearly 1,150 attack drones, more than 1,400 guided aerial bombs and 35 missiles at Ukraine.

“Every day, our people stand against aerial terror,” Zelenskiy said as he called on Europe and the US to stand with Ukraine.

Air force spokesman Yuriy Ignat said that of the drones launched from Saturday night to early Sunday,138 were intercepted by air defences while 119 were “lost” without causing damage.

He said the 267 drones spotted in Ukrainian skies is “a record for a single attack” since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

A separate Ukrainian armed forces statement on Telegram on Sunday said several regions, including Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, had been “hit”.

On Saturday, a Russian missile attack on the central town of Kryvyi Rih killed one man and wounded five people, regional authorities said

“The war continues. Everyone capable of helping with air defence must work to enhance the protection of human life. We must do everything possible to bring lasting and just peace to Ukraine,” Zelensky said.