Zelenskyy: Ukraine's partners must secure Russia’s real readiness for peace

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Defence Minister Rustem Umerov presented his first report today, January 7, on the work carried out by the Ukrainian negotiating team in France.

He also noted that another round of talks with representatives of the US president is scheduled, marking the third round in two days. 

“We expect that the most difficult issues from the basic framework for ending the war will be discussed, namely the issues of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and territories,” Zelenskyy said. He instructed the Ukrainian delegation to address potential formats for leadership-level meetings involving Ukraine, European partners, and the US.

Zelenskyy underscored that Ukraine “is not shying away from the most difficult issues” and “will never be an obstacle to peace.” However, he stressed that peace must be “worthy,” adding that its nature depends on Ukraine’s partners and on their ability to ensure Russia’s genuine willingness to end the war.

“At the end of the day, I expect a detailed report from our negotiating team,” he added.

Ukraine’s representation in the negotiations includes Rustem Umerov, Andriy Hnatov, Kyrylo Budanov, Serhiy Kyslytsya, David Arakhamia, and Oleksandr Bevz.

On January 6–7, 2026, Zelensky and the Ukrainian delegation held high-level discussions in Paris during a summit of the so-called “Coalition of the Willing,” which focused on developing security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire or a future peace agreement with Russia.

The gathering brought together senior officials from the United States, the European Union, NATO, and around 35 allied states. More than 30 partners participated, including leaders from the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Canada, alongside NATO representatives. This was the 15th meeting in this format.

The talks resulted in the adoption of a joint coalition declaration and a trilateral declaration by France, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine. These documents were signed by French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and President Zelenskyy.

According to these agreements, the commitments include establishing military support hubs across Ukraine after a ceasefire to meet the country’s defence needs. France and the United Kingdom pledged to deploy military contingents. Macron referred to the possible deployment of several thousand French troops, while Starmer highlighted the safeguarding of facilities used for weapons, equipment, and logistics.

The declarations also reaffirm long-term military support for Ukraine, including the provision of training and arms supplies, and emphasise that Ukraine’s armed forces will remain the principal guarantor of national security.

The framework further envisions US-led monitoring and verification of any ceasefire, with the involvement of European partners. It also includes binding commitments requiring coalition members to act in the event of any violations of peace agreements by Russia.