Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that the United States has agreed in principle to offer Ukraine "strong" security guarantees lasting for 15 years. The potential pact emerged from a two-hour meeting with former US President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Sunday.
Details of the Proposed Security Pact
Speaking on his return journey to Europe, Zelenskyy revealed that the proposed guarantees were a key element of a broader 20-point peace plan discussed with Trump. He stated that the US Congress and Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, would hold a joint vote to ratify any American pledges.
Kyiv views such binding guarantees as essential to deterring future Russian aggression should a peace deal be reached. Zelenskyy openly acknowledged that past promises, specifically referencing the 1994 Budapest Memorandum backed by the US and UK which guaranteed Ukraine's territorial integrity, had ultimately "did not work."
The precise nature of the latest US commitments remains undefined. Trump has reportedly ruled out deploying American peacekeeping troops. Zelenskyy suggested that the presence of international monitors in a post-war Ukraine would be the optimal form of security, providing reassurance to the nation's citizens.
Unresolved Issues and Kremlin Demands
Despite the progress on security assurances, the Ukrainian president conceded that the status of the eastern Donbas region remains a major unresolved issue. The Kremlin insisted on Monday that any deal requires Ukraine to withdraw its troops from a defensive "fortress belt" of cities in Donetsk oblast.
Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin, warned that Kyiv would lose more territory if it failed to strike an agreement. He declined to comment on the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, another significant obstacle in negotiations.
Zelenskyy firmly ruled out ceding land to Russia. "It's no secret Russia wants this. In their fantasies, they would like us not to exist on the territory of our own country at all," he said. Instead, he proposed establishing a demilitarised zone and free economic area along the current frontline, with both armies pulling back.
Path to a Potential Referendum
The Ukrainian leader indicated this plan could be put to a national referendum, but only if Russia first agreed to a sustained ceasefire lasting at least 60 days. Zelenskyy described a potential popular vote as a "powerful tool" and an "expression of the Ukrainian people's will."
Following the meeting, Trump claimed a deal to end the war was "closer than ever," though significant gaps persist between the warring parties. Zelenskyy characterised the delegation talks as "great" and "substantive."
Further diplomatic activity is expected, with Zelenskyy planning talks with European leaders and a potential follow-up joint meeting with Trump in January, likely at the White House.
Ukrainian commentators expressed relief that the Mar-a-Lago summit avoided a repeat of February's diplomatic friction. However, they criticised several of Trump's remarks, including his unsubstantiated claim that "Russia wants to see a very successful Ukraine" and his refusal to condemn a major Russian drone attack on Kyiv.
