Hails US security

Zelenskyy hails US security vow — but rules out sacrificing uncaptured land 

Europe must have a hand in developing security guarantees, the Ukrainian leader insists.

By Gabriel Gavin, Elena Giordano and Joe Stanley-Smith

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the “historic” readiness of the United States to take part in security guarantees for post-war Ukraine, but again pushed back on talk of his country ceding territory to Russia.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, while talking up the wins from the Friday meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, said the two leaders had unexpectedly reached agreement on allowing post-war security guarantees to Ukraine.

“We got to an agreement that the United States and other European nations could effectively offer Article 5-like language to cover a security guarantee,” Witkoff said on CNN.

Zelenskyy said in a statement: “This is a historic decision that the United States is ready to take part in security guarantees for Ukraine. Security guarantees, as a result of our joint work, must really be very practical, delivering protection on land, in the air, and at sea, and must be developed with Europe’s participation.”

Following a meeting on Sunday afternoon with other heads of state that support Ukraine, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron commended Trump’s apparent willingness to provide security guarantees to Ukraine and reaffirmed their commitment to “deploy a reassurance force once hostilities have ceased.”

Numerous top European leaders are traveling to meet Trump alongside Zelenskyy on Monday, with the U.S. president’s meeting with Putin setting the scene for further high-stakes negotiations as Ukraine and the U.S. seek to end the war Russia started in February 2022.

Land swapping still contentious

While progress on security guarantees — which were a key point on which European leaders lobbied Trump in the run-up to his Alaska meeting with Putin on Friday — is welcome news to Europe, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s assessment that Russia is unlikely to agree to a ceasefire soon is not.

As it pushes to bring about a deal that would stop the fighting, Ukraine is ready to talk about territorial changes as part of a peace agreement to end Russia’s invasion — but won’t give up land that Moscow’s forces do not occupy, Zelenskyy said.

“We need real negotiations,” he told reporters in Brussels on Sunday, “which means they can start where the front line is now — the contact line is the best line for talking.”

Zelenskyy was speaking at a press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen before flying to Washington for talks with Trump on Monday.

According to Zelenskyy, Russia has failed to conquer the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, which Moscow has pushed to control since 2014. Putin “has been unable to take it for 12 years, and the constitution of Ukraine makes it impossible … to give up territory or trade land,” Zelenskyy said.

The New York Times reported Sunday that Trump had told European leaders he believed peace could be negotiated if Ukraine agreed to give up territory in the east of the country. Key parts of the Donetsk region, including the strategic cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, have held out against Russia’s full-blown invasion. The American president claimed to have found agreement with Putin on “many points” during their talks on Friday.

Zelenskyy said he was open to negotiating with Putin himself at a future meeting to be brokered by Trump.

“Since the territorial issue is so important, it should be discussed only by the leaders of Ukraine and Russia at the trilateral [of] Ukraine, United States [and] Russia,” Zelenskyy said. “So far, Russia gives no sign that trilateral will happen, and if Russia refuses, then new sanctions must follow.”

POLITICO reported last week that Kyiv would not discuss territorial exchanges unless Russia first accepted — and adhered to — a ceasefire, something Moscow has continually declined to set a date for.

Cognizant that the war may continue, several European leaders — including European Council President António Costa and High Representative Kaja Kallas — have spoken about ramping up the pressure on Russia with sanctions. This could be a key talking point among Trump, Zelenskyy and the European delegation on Monday.

Speaking Sunday at the Fort de Brégançon fortress in southeastern France, Macron said: “Do I think President Putin wants peace? No, if you ask me. I think he wants Ukraine to surrender. Do I think President Trump wants peace? Yes.”