Zelensky on Peace Agreement: 90% Readiness and Remaining 10% for Victory.

According to ТСН: The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a traditional New Year address before the approaching New Year of 2026.

He expressed hope that peace would come soon, although this is still impossible at the moment. "Unfortunately, I cannot do this yet, but with a clear conscience, we can all say that Ukraine is definitely doing everything for peace," he confirmed.

Zelensky also mentioned that he recently returned to Kyiv, and his team spent almost 50 hours on the road.

Peace Agreement

The President reported that the peace agreement is 90% ready. "And this is significantly more than just numbers. These are 10%, which actually contain everything. It is about the 10% that will determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe. How people will live. 10% for saving millions of lives. 10% of the determination needed for peace to work completely. 10% of such necessary unity and wisdom—Ukrainian, American, European, the whole world. 10% to peace," he noted.

Ending the War, but not Ending Ukraine

The head of state emphasized that Ukrainians should know the truth. "What does Ukraine want? What does America want? What does Russia want? What do Europe and the whole world want? Let's start with the most important. What does Ukraine want? Peace? Yes. At any cost? No," he explained.

Zelensky stressed that Ukrainians seek to end the war but not the disappearance of the state, even during great fatigue. "Does this mean that we are ready to surrender? Anyone who thinks so is greatly mistaken and clearly has not understood who Ukrainians are after all these years," the president assured.

He also reminded that Ukraine has endured 1407 days of full-scale war, which is more than the Nazi occupation of many cities during World War II.

Why the War Has Not Ended Yet

"Do we want the war to end? Absolutely. Why hasn’t it happened yet? The answer lies next to our state. Can Russia end the war? Yes. Does it want to? No. Can the world force it to? Yes. And only this will work," Zelensky added.

He emphasized that Russia never ends its wars on its own; external pressure is needed. "This has been the case throughout the years when Russia has been at war with someone, that is, throughout its existence. This can be confirmed by all those with whom Moscow has waged war at different times: Poland, Turkey, Finland, Syria, Georgia, Abkhazia, Ossetia, Chechnya," the president cited historical examples.

Will Ukraine Give Up Donbas?

"America. The whole world. Get out of Donbas, and everything will end. In Russian, it sounds like a lie. In Ukrainian, English, German, French, and virtually any language in the world. Does anyone still believe them? Unfortunately," the president acknowledged.

According to him, after the occupation of Crimea, the seizure of part of Donetsk and Luhansk, the full-scale invasion on February 24, and numerous other actions by the Kremlin, believing them at their word is simply a death sentence for international security and for every leader who must protect his people.

Security Guarantees

Zelensky emphasized that the peace agreement must be ratified by the U.S. Congress and European parliaments. "Signatures under weak agreements only feed the war. My signature will stand under a strong agreement," he promised.

Relations with the U.S.

The president also mentioned difficulties in relations with Trump and their disputes in the Oval Office of the White House in February 2025. "And, to be honest, it was not easy at all to achieve such a degree of change in the relations between Ukraine and the United States," he added.

Zelensky expressed confidence that stopping the war in 2026 is possible.

Ukraine - the Shield of Europe

The president warned Europeans that if Ukraine falls, the next victims of the aggressor will be them. "We have every right to say today that Ukraine is indeed the only shield currently separating comfortable European life from the 'Russian world'," he noted.

"In a moment, the New Year will come, millions of us are waiting for it, and we will have the New Year regardless, because we are the kind of people we are Ukrainians, we will come up with something... For everyone we are waiting for. For everyone who helps us. For the end of this war. For peace to come. For nothing to succeed for the enemy. As long as we fight this way. As long as we hold on this way. As long as we are Ukrainians," the head of state summed up.