With the ink barely dry on the Gaza peace plan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is proactively asking the United States and the world: Is Ukraine next? He is making a forceful case that his country should be the next priority on the US peace agenda.
Zelensky’s entire recent diplomatic posture has been built around this question. By immediately and publicly congratulating President Donald Trump on his “success,” he was not just being polite; he was strategically positioning Ukraine as the next logical challenge for a successful peacemaker.
His statements are filled with language designed to encourage this transition. He speaks of a “momentum for peace” that shouldn’t be lost and directly states that the “war in Europe can also be brought to an end” with the right American leadership. It’s a direct invitation to pivot from the Middle East to Eastern Europe.
He has even hinted that the groundwork is laid, claiming to have a “corresponding vision” for how peace could be achieved. This suggests he is ready to present a plan the moment the US signals its willingness to take the lead.
This proactive push is a high-stakes gamble. Zelensky is betting that by framing the issue this way, he can create a political expectation for US action. Meanwhile, his country continues to endure daily attacks, making the question of “who’s next” on the peace agenda a matter of existential importance.