In a significant development in the ongoing negotiations to end the conflict in Eastern Europe, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that the United States has offered Kyiv "robust security guarantees" against Russia for a period of 15 years, renewable for an additional term. This announcement followed a meeting between Zelensky and US President Donald Trump, during which the Ukrainian side sought long-term commitments to ensure the country's post-war stability.
Negotiations to extend security guarantees
During an online press conference, Zelensky explained that the American offer was an important step, but he hoped for a longer timeframe to guarantee that the aggression would not be repeated. The Ukrainian president said, "I really want these guarantees to be longer. I told President Trump that we would like to consider the possibility of 30, 40, or even 50 years," noting that the American side promised to seriously consider this proposal.
These guarantees are of paramount importance to Kyiv, as Zelensky has linked obtaining them to the possibility of lifting martial law, which has been in place in the country since the first day of the Russian invasion in February 2022. This law imposes strict restrictions, most notably a ban on men of military service age (between 25 and 60 years old) traveling outside the country except with special permits.
International context and importance of the agreement
These diplomatic moves come at a sensitive time in the Russian-Ukrainian war, as the international community seeks a formula to ensure a lasting ceasefire. Security guarantees are currently the practical alternative to Ukraine's immediate membership in NATO, and are intended to deter any future attack and provide military and economic support to Kyiv.
In the context of diplomatic arrangements, Zelensky expressed his hope that intensive meetings would soon be held on Ukrainian territory, starting at the level of security advisors from the United States and Europe, in preparation for a possible summit bringing together European leaders and US President Donald Trump, and perhaps later opening the door to direct talks with the Russian side.
A roadmap to end the war
The Ukrainian president stressed that any final peace agreement must be comprehensive and internationally documented. He noted the existence of a 20-point plan, emphasizing that it must bear the signatures of four key parties: Ukraine, the United States, the European Union, and Russia, to ensure everyone's commitment to the terms of the settlement.
For its part, the Kremlin showed rare agreement with the American assessments, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirming that Moscow agrees with Trump’s view that talks to end the war have already reached their final stages, indicating strong diplomatic activity behind the scenes.
The contradiction between the field and politics
Despite the diplomatic optimism, Zelensky drew attention to the stark contradiction between political pronouncements and the reality on the ground. He pointed out that Russian President Vladimir Putin sends "peaceful" messages to the US president while his army continues to bombard civilian infrastructure in Ukraine and celebrates its destruction.
Zelensky concluded by emphasizing that the most complex issues, such as the fate of the Russian-controlled territories and the status of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, remain the final obstacles to be negotiated, reflecting the difficulty of reaching a final solution that satisfies all parties while military operations continue.
