Zelensky Calls for Clear Security Guarantees Before Engaging in Talks with Putin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Thursday his desire for greater clarity regarding prospective Western security assurances before agreeing to meet directly with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

“We need to gain insights into the framework of security guarantees within the next week to ten days,” Zelensky expressed to reporters. “It’s essential for us to know what each nation is prepared to commit to at specific times.”

Britain and France are taking the lead in efforts to establish a military coalition to support these guarantees, regardless of their final form. Once a framework is established, Zelensky indicated that U.S. President Donald Trump would prefer a bilateral meeting between himself and Putin, but only in a “neutral” European nation.

“Switzerland, Austria, we agree… For us, Turkey is a NATO member and part of Europe. We’re open to it,” he mentioned regarding possible summit locations.

Zelensky has previously asserted that the only way to conclude the conflict is through a trilateral meeting involving Trump and Putin. On Monday, Trump suggested that plans are seemingly underway for a summit between Putin and Zelensky, which could potentially be followed by a session that includes him.

Russia has yet to acknowledge these developments. Recently, officials in Moscow have issued vague statements indicating a general openness to the idea, although they seem reluctant to commit firmly at this time.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed this week that Putin has always been amenable to an in-person meeting with Zelensky, despite rejecting such a proposition back in May and previously questioning the legitimacy of his Ukrainian counterpart’s presidency.

On Thursday, Lavrov accused Ukraine of pursuing “unrealistic” guarantees that clash with Russia’s expectations, asserting that any deployment of European forces in Ukraine as part of a peace strategy would be “completely unacceptable.”

The minister has insisted that Russia must retain an effective veto over security guarantees for Ukraine. He stated that discussions on this subject not involving Moscow would ultimately lead to “a dead end” and overlook what Russia refers to as the “root causes” of the conflict.

In related news, U.S. officials informed The Guardian on Thursday that Trump intends to step back from peace negotiations for the time being, as he awaits the organization of a meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders.

“I just want to see what unfolds at the meeting. They are currently in the process of arranging it, and we will see how it goes,” Trump told talk show host Mark Levin on WABC earlier this week.

Despite Trump’s recent flurry of diplomatic efforts, including a summit with Putin in Alaska and a White House gathering with Zelensky and European leaders, there has been little substantial progress in peace discussions, and both Russia and Ukraine appear steadfast in their prior positions.

Reporting contributed by AFP.