US offers Ukraine 15-year security guarantee: Zelenskiy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the United States has offered Ukraine a 15-year security guarantee as part of its proposed peace plan, but he would prefer America to make a commitment of up to 50 years to deter Russia from attempts to seize its neighbor’s territory by force.
US President Donald Trump hosted Zelenskiy at his Florida resort on Sunday and insisted Ukraine and Russia were “closer than ever” to a peace deal.
But negotiators are still seeking a breakthrough on key issues, including whose forces are being pulled from where and the fate of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, one of the world’s 10 largest nuclear power plants. Trump noted that months-long US-led negotiations could still collapse.
Responding to questions sent to journalists via WhatsApp via voice message, Zelenskiy said: “Without security guarantees, realistically, this war will not end.” he said.
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 Zelenskiy 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 meet soon, but there is no indication that the Russian leader will meet with Zelenskiy.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Kiev’s allies will meet in Paris in early January to finalize each country’s concrete contributions to security guarantees.
According to Zelenskiy, 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.
Zelenskiy said he wanted the 20-point peace plan being 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.
