At a joint press conference at the White House, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reaffirmed that Ukraine seeks peace but will not “bargain away” its independence or NATO aspirations while President Trump pursues what he calls his “number nine” peace deal. When pressed on possible concessions to end the war, Zelensky said Kyiv’s first priority is a ceasefire and strong U.S.-backed security guarantees, emphasizing that “NATO is important for Ukrainians, but weapons and alliances are equally vital.” He also revealed his openness to “bilateral or trilateral” diplomacy formats with Russia and the U.S., praising Trump’s mediation efforts but repeating that “Putin doesn’t want peace.”