Zelenskyy requests 50-year US security guarantees to end the war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed details of the US offer to his country regarding future security arrangements, explaining that the United States proposed providing Kyiv with "robust" security guarantees for a period of 15 years, renewable, to deter any potential future Russian threats. This announcement came after a meeting between Zelensky and US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday, where the two sides sought to finalize their vision for ending the conflict.
In the context of the ongoing negotiations, Zelenskyy, during an online press conference, emphasized his country's ambition to secure a long-term US commitment exceeding fifteen years. The Ukrainian president stated, "I truly want these guarantees to be longer, and I have expressed to President Trump our desire to consider extending this period to 30, 40, or even 50 years," noting that the US side promised to seriously consider this proposal.
The importance of security guarantees and the future of martial law
These guarantees are of paramount importance to the Ukrainian interior, as Zelensky directly 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 issue is extremely sensitive for Ukrainian society, as martial law currently prohibits men of military service age (between 25 and 60 years old) from leaving the country except with special permits, making the security agreement a gateway to the return of normal life.
Diplomatic roadmap to end the war
On the diplomatic front, the Ukrainian president outlined the political moves expected in the coming days, expressing his hope for a series of intensive meetings in Ukraine. He explained that arrangements are underway for a meeting of security advisors from the United States and Europe, followed by a meeting between European and Ukrainian leaders, as a prelude to a possible summit between US President Donald Trump and European leaders.
Zelensky stressed that any final agreement to end the war must be comprehensive and internationally documented, noting the existence of a "20-point plan" requiring the signatures of four key parties: Ukraine, the United States, the European Union, and Russia. He added, "We are committed to ensuring these meetings take place in January, and if things go as planned, a meeting with the Russian side will be held in one form or another.".
Contradictions on the ground and the Russian position
While the Kremlin, through its spokesman Dmitry Peskov, announced its agreement with Trump's assessment that talks to end the war were in their final stages, Zelensky expressed caution regarding Russian intentions. The Ukrainian president pointed to the stark contradiction between the "peaceful" messages Vladimir Putin was conveying to Washington and the violent reality on the ground.
Zelensky criticized Russia's duplicity, saying, "While Putin tells the American president he wants to end the war, he continues to bombard us with missiles, celebrates the destruction of civilian infrastructure, and instructs his generals to continue advancing and seizing more territory." He concluded by noting that the most complex issues still unresolved in the negotiations concern the fate of the territories occupied by Russia and the status of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
