Zelenskyy outlines security guarantees Ukraine needs from allies

I think he [Putin] will not attack with missiles such factories where we are partners with America,

he said

I will never accept any decisions between the United States and Russia about Ukraine, never,

Zelensky told the ‘Meet the Press’ moderator on Friday in Munich, Germany

And even if I will look at the army of Russia, if they will see it that they, Russia, have 220 or 250 brigades, and Europe has 50. That is the answer. The risk that Russia will occupy Europe is 100 per cent,

he warned

But I think he's really a little bit scared about the President Trump. And I think the president has this chance, and he's strong. And I think that really he can push Putin to peace negotiations. Yes, I think so. I think he can, but don't trust him. Don't trust Putin. Don't trust just words about ceasefire,

Zelenskyy told NBC's Kristen Welker on "Meet the Press."

I believe and trust only in real steps. And I trust President Trump because he's the president of the United States, because your people, your people voted for him, and I respect their choice, and I will work with President Trump with trust, which I have to the United States,

Zelenskyy told Welker when asked if he feels Trump values Ukraine at the same level as Russia

I said that [Putin] is a liar,

Zelenskyy recounted of his phone call to Trump

We know for sure that he is preparing steps on the territory of Belarus this year. It can happen in summer, maybe in the beginning, maybe in the end of summer. I don't know when he prepares it, but it will happen."

Zelensky told Welker in Ukrainian

There are risks that this can be Poland and Lithuania because we believe that Putin will wage war against NATO."

He continued

One way or another, of course, Ukraine will participate in the negotiations, ... There will be a bilateral Russian-American track of this dialogue, and a track that will be related to Ukraine's involvement."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state-controlled TV on Thursday, per Reuters ... adding,

No, we have intelligence, we have documents that they are preparing trained mission of a big number of soldiers on the territory of Belarus. We are just sharing that there is a high risk that he can do the same, maybe not, god bless not, and maybe before it, President Trump and the allies will stop him."

The Ukrainian president responded in English

You have actual intelligence that President Putin is planning to attack NATO countries?"

Welker then asked

I will believe that the United States will not take its forces, its contingents from Europe, because that will severely weaken NATO on the European continent. Putin definitely counts on that,

the Ukrainian president added

We can't rule out the possibility that America might say no to Europe on issues that threaten it,

Zelensky told the conference

We believe that Putin will wage war against NATO, ... I don’t know they will want 30 percent of Europe, 50 percent, I don’t know. Nobody knows. But they will have this possibility.”

Ultimately ... Zelenskyy said, adding

The Russian Federation does not want to end the war and continues to escalate global tensions. That is why U.S. military support is crucial for Ukraine. Only in this way can we achieve a just and lasting peace."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday

Hegseth is going to be a great defense secretary, although he wasn't my choice for the job...But he made a rookie mistake in Brussels and he's walked back some of what he said but not that line."

Senator Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican and chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told Politico on Friday

It's certainly clear that what's happening is good news. It's drastically different from all we've seen before,

On Russian state television, Mikheyev said about the U.S.'s shifting stance towards Russia and Ukraine ... according to a video translated by journalist Julia Davis

To be clear, as part of any security guarantee, there will not be U.S. troops deployed to Ukraine."

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday in Brussels

If you compare the rhetoric of Trump's team with Biden's rhetoric, it's worlds apart, ... Now, there is no isolation, even from the American side."

he said, adding

We should make this thought clear for the Europeans, now we can actually strike Brussels, London and Paris...We can forget about Article 5 and forget about Americans stepping up to help."

He then referenced the Trump administration's stance on U.S. forces and NATO's Article 5,