Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that the long-sought security guarantees agreement with the United States is close to being finalised with President Donald Trump, a potential cornerstone of any future peace settlement with Russia.
Speaking after talks in Paris, Zelensky said the bilateral document is essentially complete and ready for approval at the highest political level. The agreement is designed to ensure long-term US support for Ukraine's security should Moscow launch another invasion after a ceasefire.
Negotiators from Ukraine, the US and key European allies have spent the week working through unresolved elements of a broader peace framework, which Washington hopes to present to Russia. The United States has now publicly backed the concept of formal security guarantees for Kyiv, a notable shift in its role from wartime backer to active broker.
Zelensky warned, however, that guarantees must be tested in real time. He urged stronger pressure on Moscow following fresh Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, arguing that credibility depends on how allies respond before any deal is signed.
While Kyiv says around 90% of the framework is agreed, difficult questions remain, including the future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant and Russian demands for territory in eastern Ukraine. Zelensky said Ukraine is awaiting signs that Moscow is genuinely prepared to end the war, even as discussions turn toward reconstruction and post-war economic recovery.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on X:
Rustem Umerov reported on the results of our team's negotiations in France yesterday. The bilateral document on security guarantees for Ukraine is now essentially ready for finalization at the highest level with the President of the United States. It is important that Ukraine is successfully uniting the efforts of the European and American teams, and together, we discussed, in particular, documents on recovery and economic development. Complex issues from the basic framework for ending the war were also addressed, and the Ukrainian side presented possible options for finalizing this document. We understand that the American side will engage with Russia, and we expect feedback on whether the aggressor is genuinely willing to end the war.
Upon returning to Kyiv, our negotiating team will report on all the details of the meetings. We are also informing our partners about the consequences of Russia's strikes, which clearly don't indicate that Moscow is reconsidering its priorities. In this context, it is necessary that pressure on Russia continues to increase at the same intensity as the work of our negotiating teams. The feasibility of future security guarantees must be proven by our partners' ability to exert effective pressure on the aggressor at this very stage. We are preparing new relevant contacts with partners.
<social>https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/2009234514908795114?s=20</social>