Zelenskyy open to Europe-Russia talks, demands concrete US security guarantees

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has indicated that he would not oppose direct negotiations between European countries and Russia, provided that Russian President Vladimir Putin fully understands the seriousness of such discussions.

Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg, Zelenskyy said that he was not against Europe negotiating with Russia, particularly now that pressure from the United States was increasing and Europe had begun discussing security guarantees, and added that they were moving towards the final stage, even if its exact form was not yet clear.

An alternative option being considered is a cessation of hostilities with forces fixed in their current positions. In this case, disputed issues will be resolved diplomatically.

“This is about freezing the line of contact, not the conflict," Zelenskyy explained, adding that such an agreement is easier for international observers to control.

At the same time, Zelenskyy stressed that Russia’s actions continue to demonstrate an unwillingness to engage in genuine diplomacy. He reaffirmed that Ukraine would never recognize territories occupied by Russia, though he expressed hope for the eventual restoration of Ukrainian sovereignty over all its lands.

The president called on the United States to respond more systematically to Russian aggression, noting that Ukraine has yet to receive the full complement of Patriot missile defence systems and ammunition it was promised. Zelenskyy explained that Kyiv had submitted its comments on territorial proposals to the US team, which would be forwarded to Russian counterparts and then returned to Ukraine for review.

Zelenskyy expressed hope for a response from Russia to a 20-point framework agreement while he finalizes security guarantees and a post-war recovery plan with US President Donald Trump. He indicated that such discussions could take place as early as the end of this month, either in the United States or on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The president stated that he did not want everything to boil down to a simple promise of a response and emphasized that he really wanted something more specific, highlighting the need for concrete US commitments in the event of renewed Russian aggression.

Separately, Zelenskyy revealed that he is discussing a free trade agreement with the United States as part of a broader package for Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction and economic security. He stated that a potential deal would allow zero tariffs on trade with the US and apply to certain industrial regions of Ukraine, providing “very significant advantages” over neighboring countries and attracting investment.

Zelenskyy stressed that the details of the proposal require direct discussion with President Trump, who could offer an additional guarantee of Ukraine’s economic security.

While Ukraine has made progress with allies on security guarantees, territorial issues remain the principal obstacle in negotiations to end the Russian invasion. Meanwhile, European leaders have diverging views: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called for EU-Russia negotiations, while Germany’s Wolfgang Ischinger described such talks as currently pointless, asserting that Moscow is primarily interested in dialogue with Washington.

By Vafa Guliyeva