Without the US and Trump, NATO Would Cease to Exist; Ukraine Needs Real Security Guarantees – Zelenskyy's Interview with Fridman

The withdrawal of the United States from the North Atlantic Alliance would lead to the death of NATO. In addition, without the United States, Ukraine does not need security guarantees, because it is this country that can prevent Russian aggression in the future.

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

‘I think it's very bad for NATO, it's the end (the US withdrawal from NATO would mean the end of the Alliance - ed). This is the death of NATO, and it's a shame because I think it's a very good Alliance. Maybe not everything is good there because of bureaucracy, money, etc. 

But in general, the countries that are members of NATO are not at war. There is no war on the territory of any of these NATO countries. I think that's the answer: either it works or it doesn't, whether it works politically or militarily, I don't know, but it works. So without Trump and without the United States of America, there will simply be no NATO,’ Zelenskyy said. 

He also stressed that Ukraine does not need security guarantees without the United States, as it is this country that can prevent Putin's aggression in the future.

‘No, we do not need guarantees without the United States. Because it is a very strong, powerful country... Therefore, security guarantees are impossible without the United States. These are security guarantees (American - ed.) that can prevent Russian aggression. Of course, we have bilateral security guarantees with several countries - funding, support for our Armed Forces, defence and humanitarian issues of demining, which is very important, as well as assistance to our children in the school environment... But this is not enough to prevent Putin's aggression,’ Zelenskyy stressed.

Earlier, the President of Ukraine noted that Ukraine's invitation to join NATO and the deployment of EU and US peacekeeping forces in Ukraine are key security guarantees and a way to end the Russian war in Ukraine.