Peace Or Peril: Zelensky Warns Ukraine Has No Plan B

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made clear that Kyiv cannot allow itself to assume the current peace efforts will collapse, stressing that such thinking would be both dangerous and counterproductive. Speaking during an online briefing with journalists while travelling to Berlin, he said Ukraine must stay focused on ending the war, even if certain diplomatic tracks fail.

Zelensky acknowledged the need for realism but compared the peace process to a marathon. If one approach does not work, he said, Ukraine must regroup, find another path, and continue applying pressure on Russia until the war is brought to an end. He also indicated that more concrete information on possible US security guarantees would be presented in the near future.

Addressing the issue of a ceasefire and troop positions, the president said it would be unjust for Ukrainian forces to withdraw from areas in the east they currently control if Russian troops do not do the same. In his view, a fair ceasefire would mean both sides remaining where they are, followed by diplomatic talks. Zelensky noted that Moscow rejects this approach and continues to demand that Ukraine leave parts of Donbas, while the US has floated compromise ideas involving Ukrainian withdrawal without equivalent Russian pullbacks.

He argued that such proposals are unacceptable, particularly given the economic importance of these territories. If a buffer or economic zone were ever discussed, he said, it should be overseen by a police mission rather than military forces. Zelensky questioned why Ukrainian troops would be expected to pull back 5–10 kilometres if Russian forces are not required to retreat by the same distance into occupied areas, describing the matter as unresolved and highly sensitive.

On Ukraine’s finances, Zelensky said Kyiv is working closely with European partners to secure between USD 40 and USD 45 billion for 2026, roughly €37-41 billion, or about BGN 72–80 billion. He added that total funding needs for 2026–2027 stand at around USD 90 billion. He underlined the importance of maintaining support under roughly 30 bilateral agreements with European countries and said Ukraine is also pushing for the use of frozen Russian assets or alternative mechanisms linked to them.

In parallel, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ambitions extend beyond Ukraine. Speaking at a CSU party congress in Munich, Merz said Putin is seeking a fundamental redrawing of European borders and the restoration of a Soviet-style sphere of influence, which he described as a major military threat to former Soviet territories. According to Merz, if Ukraine falls, Russian aggression will not stop there.

Merz reaffirmed that backing Ukraine and maintaining European unity, including close strategic cooperation with the UK, are central pillars of Germany’s foreign and security policy. He also stressed the importance of preserving NATO, despite repeated doubts expressed by US President Donald Trump about the alliance’s effectiveness.

Reflecting on historical parallels, Merz argued that the situation should not be compared to the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, but rather to 1938. He recalled that appeasement following the Munich Agreement emboldened Adolf Hitler’s expansion, ultimately leading to the Second World War. Similar comparisons have been voiced in the United States, where lawmakers have warned that pressuring Ukraine to cede territory for peace risks repeating the failures of Munich-era appeasement.