The Playbook Podcast Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on what it'll take to end the war | "The Conversation"
Feb 22, 2026
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine leading wartime response and seeking security guarantees. Clarissa Ward, CNN chief international correspondent reporting from frontline Ukraine. They discuss who can stop Putin and the role of the United States, trilateral talks and reconstruction plans, rising civilian hardship and resilience fatigue, and why elections and concessions are tied to concrete security guarantees.
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U.S. Is The Key Pressure Point On Putin
- Zelenskyy says only the United States can stop Putin and only Putin wants the war to continue.
- He urges the U.S. to apply real pressure because without it Russia will keep playing and escalating attacks on civilians and infrastructure.
Trilateral Talks Are Focused On Security Guarantees And Reconstruction
- Zelenskyy describes trilateral technical meetings (Abu Dhabi, Turkey, Switzerland) advancing security guarantees and a prosperity package.
- He stresses the U.S. should sign a bilateral security-guarantees document and commit to postwar reconstruction planning.
Get Security Guarantees Before Any Territorial Swap
- Zelenskyy insists security guarantees must come before territorial compromises to rebuild Ukrainian trust.
- He points to the Budapest Memorandum as proof Ukrainians won't trust territory-for-security promises without binding guarantees and Congressional approval.