SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
The fate of Ukraine has dominated the annual Munich Security Conference this weekend. As we noted, the Trump administration is pushing for a rapid end to Russia's war on Ukraine and is pressing Ukraine for concessions. But President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he will not negotiate with Russia without receiving strong security guarantees and today told European allies they ought to be part of any negotiations. NPR's Ukraine correspondent Joanna Kakissis joins us from Kyiv. Joanna, thank you for being with us.
JOANNA KAKISSIS, BYLINE: Thanks for having me, Scott.
SIMON: And this has been a very important few days - the Security Conference in Munich - hasn't it, for Ukraine?
KAKISSIS: Yeah. Scott, it's given Zelenskyy an opportunity to publicly advocate for his country, surrounded by European allies who want to see Ukraine in the strongest possible position going into any negotiations to end the war. And, Scott, this is important because the U.S., Ukraine's strongest single ally is now speaking directly to Russia, the country that invaded Ukraine and continues to attack it.
President Trump says he plans to visit Russia. His Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has poured cold water on two of Ukraine's most important goals - joining NATO and getting back all of its territory occupied by Russia. And these developments have really unsettled Ukrainians. I've spoken to many who say they feel like the U.S., the country they most admire for its democratic values, is betraying them.
SIMON: And what's President Zelenskyy's response been?
KAKISSIS: Well, Zelenskyy admitted that he has a lot of work to do to convince President Trump and his team that Russia is dangerous. Speaking in Munich today, Zelenskyy said he will not give up pushing for Ukraine to join NATO. He sees this Western alliance as Ukraine's strongest security guarantee against Russia, though he did question why NATO is so cautious around Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY: Right now, the most influential member of NATO seems to be Putin, because his whims have the power to block NATO decisions. And that's despite the fact that it was Ukraine's army that stopped Russia, not a NATO country.
KAKISSIS: Now, the U.S. and other NATO member states are cautious about Moscow because they don't want this war to escalate. Russia is indeed a nuclear power. So Zelenskyy has tried to use the moment as a call for unity in Europe.
SIMON: And why is unity in Europe such an important theme for Mr. Zelenskyy?
KAKISSIS: Well, you know, Ukraine is in talks to be a European Union member state. Zelenskyy wants to tie the EU's fate with Ukraine's, reminding Europeans that it's Ukraine's army that's holding back Russian troops from further aggression into Europe. And he told them, look, Russia takes advantage of perceived weakness, and Europeans must be strong and united. Zelenskyy echoed President Trump's call for Europe to take the lead in its own security.
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ZELENSKYY: Europe must decide its own future. We need confidence in our own friends so that others have no choice but to respect Europe's power. And without European army, that is impossible.
KAKISSIS: Now, European army is not something that can be pulled together very quickly, of course. And, you know, negotiations are moving very quickly. Talks about how to end this war - this three-year war - are set to continue next week when the U.S. special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, is expected in Ukraine.
SIMON: NPR's Joanna Kakissis in Kyiv. Joanna, thanks so much for being with us.
KAKISSIS: You're welcome, Scott. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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