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Zelensky's attitude changed.On the evening of October 21, he publicly stated: Ukraine is ready to end the conflict.。”This sentence is said with a heavy tone, but there is helplessness behind it. More importantly, he agreed to Negotiations based on the current frontThis means that the Russian war could result in a ceasefire.
A few days ago, he had just met with Trump in Washington. It is said that the conversation was not pleasant, and Zelensky rejected the suggestion of "freezing the front, immediately ceasing the fire" on the spot, and the atmosphere was squeezed. Europe has shot behind the back.
Europe's attitude is more critical than anyone else. On the same day as Zelensky's speech, the British Prime Minister's Office announced that 12 countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Norway jointly signed a statement supporting the promotion of an immediate ceasefire starting from the current front line.
The statement almost copied Trump's advice. On the surface, it seems to support Ukraine, but in fact it is more like giving Zelensky a "step up."
Those countries once tried to “fight the end” of Ukraine, but now silently reversed it. In this case, Zelensky became an orphan.
The European Parliament says the EU and Ukraine have drafted a joint agreement. 12-point plan, covers not only ceasefire conditions and security guarantees, but also financial support for post-war reconstruction and procedural arrangements to accelerate Ukraine's accession to the EU. In other words, Europe has drafted Ukraine's future "post-war order"The rest is just Zelensky's "show."
Zelensky is certainly not stupid. He knew that if he wanted to continue fighting, he couldn't just rely on verbal support. Real money had to keep up. And now the situation is- The EU has given Ukraine €177.5 billion in aid.But it is also close to the limit. The United States gives more money, but in exchange for influence, not sincerely.
He can stand today with two cards, one of European military and financial support, and one of a vague promise of a “NATO entry ticket.”
In order to preserve the situation, Zelensky chose the "symbolic resistance", which is to behave very harshly in the meeting with Trump, even when the words of both sides disagree, but the reality is cold. Just 48 hours after returning to Kiev from the United States, he arranged for a team to prepare a "new security agreement" and personally announced that it would be formally signed with European partners this week。
In addition to the long-term security guarantees provided by the EU to Ukraine, there is a “special clause” in the agreement. Ukraine will receive 25 US-made Patriot air defense systems in the near futureThis is what Zelensky most needed at this time, both for his domestic departure and for the maintenance of the morality of the army.
These patriotic systems are not blank. According to the US Defense News, The amount of the arms purchase contract is huge.Most of the funds come from the special allocation to Ukraine approved by the United States last year, and the rest is shared by Germany and France. In other words, this war has become a "transnational account". Ukraine is only responsible for bloodshed, and the real operations and accounts are in the hands of other countries.
Zelensky does not have to be clear about this. Only to this point, there is no choice. At the same time, the pressure in Europe is growing. The gas issue has not been resolved, the flow of refugees has resumed, the internal public opinion has reversed, and many countries have voiced against continuing to support Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron said at a closed-door meeting: “We can’t stand a third cold winter anymore.” Europe can stand up to Ukraine for how long, not on the battlefield, but on energy and votes.
Russia, on the other hand, maintains high pressure on the border, neither taking the initiative to attack nor expressing its position in negotiations. The Kremlin's calculation is, drag. As long as Ukraine does not collapse, Europe will have to pay and the United States will have to maintain aid. If either side leaves the field first, it will be a victory for Russia.
Zelensky’s “acceptance negotiations” may not mean that the war is about to end, but at least it is the first step toward the reality. He did not say “confess”, did not mention “cutting ground”, only with a vague statement: “We are ready.” It is a gesture of negotiation and a psychological buffer.
He knew very well, If we don't talk about it today, what we talk about tomorrow will not be conditions, but consequences。 Now, Ukraine is still eligible to sit at the table; If we wait any longer, I'm afraid we won't even have a place.
Starting with the phrase “I need ammunition, I don’t need a car” three years ago, Zelensky has become the hard man in the eyes of the world, but now the president has to learn to turn in the line of fire.
Now it’s Europe’s turn to come out.They don’t just want a ceasefire, they want a ceasefire. A way to get out of Ukraine’s dirt.And Zelensky, has been pushed to the edge of this export. Will the war not end here? no one can give an answer. but a new phase has already begun.
References:
Zelensky: Ukraine is ready to end the Russian-Ukrainian conflict October 22, 2025
Zelensky: Ready to Order 25 "Patriot" Systems 20 October 2025