“A Grant Is Not a Loan” – One America News Network
OAN Staff Blake Wolf
10:53 AM – Sunday, February 23, 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed on Sunday his openness to stepping down from the presidency in exchange for peace or NATO membership.
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“Yes, I am willing if it means achieving peace for Ukraine,” Zelensky remarked when asked about relinquishing power for the sake of peace.
“Alternatively, I could trade this for immediate NATO membership, if such conditions can be met to avoid prolonged negotiations. My priority is Ukraine’s security today, not two decades from now. I have no intention of holding onto power for many years,” he further added.
President Donald Trump has criticized Zelensky while intensifying peace discussions, labeling the Ukrainian leader as a “dictator without elections” and demanding compensation for the extensive military aid provided by the Biden administration.
“Europe has contributed $100 billion. The United States has provided $350 billion because we had a foolish and incompetent president and administration,” Trump remarked during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday.
Trump stated that his administration is “pretty close” to reaching an agreement with Ukraine, emphasizing that he wants Kyiv “to offer something in return for the extensive funds we have provided.”
“Therefore, we are requesting rare earth materials and oil, anything we can secure,” he continued. “We intend to recover our investment because it’s simply unfair.”
In response, Zelensky clarified that the aid received from the Biden administration should be considered “grants” rather than a debt.
“A grant is not a debt. I do not recognize the $100 billion as a debt, and we will not accept it as such,” he asserted. “I will not sign any agreements that will create a financial burden for ten generations of Ukrainians.”
“If Trump is ready to formalize a new agreement involving repayment for new assistance, we are prepared to consider that,” he added.
Zelensky also addressed Trump’s characterization of him as a dictator, saying, “I wouldn’t quite describe Trump’s remarks as complimentary—that would be an understatement. However, why take offense? The only individual who would react negatively to being labeled a dictator is someone who genuinely fits that description.”
Additionally, U.S. officials and Russian diplomats have recently conducted peace negotiations in Saudi Arabia without any Ukrainian representation, with both parties agreeing to re-establish their embassies and continue discussions.
Both Russian and U.S. officials have remarked that Ukraine’s potential NATO membership is “unrealistic,” as Russia perceives the alliance’s presence on its border as a threat.
“The United States does not consider NATO membership for Ukraine to be a plausible outcome of a negotiated settlement,” stated Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, noting that security guarantees for Ukraine “must be supported by capable European and non-European troops.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov supported Hegseth’s views regarding NATO membership for Ukraine, indicating, “We have clarified to our colleagues today what President Putin has consistently emphasized: the expansion of NATO and the incorporation of Ukraine into the North Atlantic alliance represents a direct threat to the interests of the Russian Federation and our sovereignty.”
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