US offers Ukraine 15-year security guarantee as part of peace plan, Zelenskyy says
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — U.S. offers Ukraine security guarantees Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that part of his proposed peace plan is valid for a period of 15 years, but he would prefer for America to make a commitment of up to 50 years to deter Russia from further peace initiatives. seize one’s neighbor’s land hardly.
US President Donald Trump hosted Zelenskyy next to him Florida He appealed on Sunday, insisting Ukraine and Russia were “closer than ever” to a peace deal.
But negotiators are still seeking a breakthrough on key issues such as whose forces are withdrawing from where and the fate of Russian-occupied territory. Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plantOne of the 10 largest in the world. Trump noted that months-long US-led negotiations could still collapse.
Responding to questions sent to journalists via WhatsApp via voice message, Zelenskyy said, “Without security guarantees, realistically, this war will not end.”
Ukraine has been at war with Russia since 2014, when it illegally annexed Crimea and Moscow-backed separatists took up arms in Donbas, a vital industrial region of eastern Ukraine.
Details of the security guarantees have not been made public, but Zelenskyy said on Monday that they include how the peace deal will be monitored, as well as the “presence” of partners. He did not provide detailed information on the issue, but Russia said that it would not accept the deployment of soldiers from NATO countries to Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump are expected to talk in the near future, but there is no indication that the Russian leader will talk to Zelenskyy.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Kiev’s allies will meet in Paris in early January to finalize concrete contributions to each country’s security guarantees.
According to Zelenskyy, Trump said he would consider extending US security guarantees to Ukraine beyond 15 years. He said the guarantees would be approved by the U.S. Congress as well as the parliaments of other countries that oversee any solution.
Zelenskyy said that he wanted the 20-point peace plan discussed to be approved by Ukrainians in a national referendum.
However, a ceasefire of at least 60 days is required before the vote can be held, and Moscow has not shown any willingness for a ceasefire without a full solution.
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