Ukraine needs clear security guarantees for ceasefire - Zelensky

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said this in an interview with US podcaster Lex Fridman, Ukrinform reports.

“What if we just arrange a ceasefire, without understanding what will happen next, without understanding what will happen to Ukraine’s security guarantees? What will happen to those millions of children in the occupied territory? What should I tell them?... Hey, all of you over there.. See you? And those tens of thousands of people who are buried there, are we ready to forgive them? If this is a ceasefire, we must understand exactly what security guarantees are in place in the part of Ukraine that we control. There must be guarantees that he (Putin - ed.) will not return. This is very important. And what do we say to those people who are in those territories? These are millions of people. And do you know that since 2014, in Donetsk, in Crimea, and this is happening in Melitopol, and in Berdiansk now, they are making all these kids of drafting age go and fight. And if they don't go, they be killed by (the Russian authorities - ed.),” he said.

Zelensky said the believes in President Trump’s power “to use all of this information to come up with a way to make Ukraine strong”.

 “Trump will be in the same situation as I was in 2019, precisely the same situation: I want to end the war, we want a lasting peace for Ukraine. We must do this: the ceasefire, exchange people, and then diplomatically return all territories. And we will do this through diplomacy. Wat will happen next with President Trump if the ceasefire happens without security guarantees, at least for the territory we control, what will he get? If he manages to make a ceasefire deal, and three months later… Putin launches a new wave of attacks. What will Trump look like? What will Ukraine look like?” Zelensky said.

He expressed confidence that without serious security guarantees, Putin would launch a new wave of aggression, as he seeks to complete the occupation of Ukraine.