"When Ukraine agreed to give up nuclear weapons, the price the other side had to pay should have been fair. I believe NATO membership was the least Ukrainian leaders should have received in return. What did we get? Nothing. It was not a fair game and it was a big mistake," Zelensky said.
He added that the responsibility lies not only with Ukraine but also with other signatories of the Budapest Memorandum, which, he said, had an obligation to ensure protection for the country giving up its nuclear arsenal.
"These are nuclear powers. If they demanded you give up nuclear weapons, they should have provided a security umbrella, perhaps even a nuclear one. In the end, it all turned out to be a deception," he said.
Zelensky recalled that a significant portion of Ukraine's nuclear arsenal was transferred to Russia, including strategic aircraft that are now being used in the war against Ukraine.
Speaking about the current situation on the front, the Ukrainian president assessed that Russian leader Vladimir Putin understands he cannot fully occupy Ukraine.
"He is suffering enormous losses and does not have enough trained people on the battlefield. He is trying to find an exit that would look like a victory. That is why he is trying to diplomatically push us out of Donbas through dialogue with the United States," Zelensky stated.
According to him, a full occupation of Donbas would require between 300,000 and a million soldiers, which represents an enormous cost even for Russia.
He also emphasized that a potential withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbas could cause internal divisions in the country, further weakening Ukraine's position.
"If Ukraine's unity were undermined, Putin could launch a new 'blitzkrieg' and try to occupy the country very quickly. Even if he doesn't do that, he would use the pause for recruitment, training, strengthening the military industry, and easing sanctions," he warned.
In conclusion, he stressed that a ceasefire on the principle of "we stay where we are" is not only in Ukraine's interest but also that of its international partners.