December 29, 2025

The United States has proposed providing Ukraine with security guarantees for a period of 15 years as part of a broader peace plan aimed at ending the war with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday. However, Zelenskyy indicated that Kyiv would prefer a much longer commitment—up to 50 years—to ensure lasting deterrence against future Russian aggression. Zelenskyy’s comments followed a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, who hosted the Ukrainian leader at his Florida resort on Sunday. After the talks, Trump said Ukraine and Russia were “closer than ever before” to reaching a peace settlement, though he did not disclose specific details of the proposal or a timeline for an agreement. Speaking through voice messages sent to reporters via WhatsApp, Zelenskyy stressed that binding security guarantees were a prerequisite for ending the conflict. “Without security guarantees, realistically, this war will not end,” he said, reflecting Kyiv’s long-standing concern that any agreement without enforcement mechanisms would leave the country exposed to renewed military pressure from Moscow. Ukraine has been in conflict with Russia since 2014, when Moscow illegally annexed Crimea and supported separatist forces in the eastern Donbas region. What began as a regional conflict later escalated into a full-scale war, reshaping European security and triggering the largest military confrontation on the continent since World War II. The fighting has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions, and caused extensive damage to Ukraine’s infrastructure and economy. Details of the proposed U.S. security guarantees have not been made public. Zelenskyy said the package under discussion includes provisions for monitoring a peace agreement and the “presence” of international partners to ensure compliance. He did not clarify whether this presence would involve military forces, peacekeepers, or other forms of oversight. Russia has consistently opposed the deployment of troops from NATO countries in Ukraine, arguing that such a move would pose a direct threat to its national security. Moscow has repeatedly cited NATO’s involvement and expansion as a core grievance, a claim rejected by Kyiv and Western governments, which say Ukraine has the sovereign right to determine its own security arrangements. On Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump were expected to speak in the near future. However, there was no indication that Putin would engage in direct talks with Zelenskyy, highlighting the persistent diplomatic gap between Moscow and Kyiv despite renewed international efforts to broker a settlement. European leaders are also stepping up involvement in the diplomatic process. French President Emmanuel Macron said Ukraine’s allies would meet in Paris in early January to “finalise each country’s concrete contributions” toward the proposed security guarantees. France has been among the European nations advocating a coordinated approach that combines long-term security commitments with diplomatic engagement. According to Zelenskyy, Trump indicated during their meeting that Washington could consider extending security guarantees beyond the initial 15-year period. Any such commitment, he said, would require approval from the U.S. Congress, as well as ratification by the parliaments of other countries participating in overseeing a potential settlement. The Ukrainian president has also emphasized the importance of domestic legitimacy. He said he wants the proposed 20-point peace plan to be approved by Ukrainians through a national referendum, arguing that the scale and long-term consequences of the agreement require direct public consent. However, holding such a vote would face legal and practical hurdles. Ukrainian law requires a ceasefire of at least 60 days before a nationwide referendum can be conducted. So far, Russia has shown no willingness to agree to even a temporary truce without a comprehensive settlement in place, complicating Kyiv’s plans for public approval. Analysts say the duration and enforceability of security guarantees are likely to be among the most contentious elements of any agreement. Ukrainian officials have frequently pointed to past assurances, including those given after Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal in the 1990s, arguing that they failed to prevent Russian aggression. As a result, Kyiv is seeking guarantees that are not only long-term but also backed by clear mechanisms for enforcement. For Washington, the proposal reflects a balancing act between deterring further Russian advances and avoiding open-ended military commitments abroad. While Trump has expressed optimism about the prospects for peace, skepticism remains among observers who note the deep mistrust between the parties and the lack of clarity on how any guarantees would be implemented in practice. Russia, meanwhile, continues to insist that any settlement must address what it describes as its fundamental security concerns, including Ukraine’s military alignment and the status of territories currently under Russian control. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly rejected any agreement that would legitimize territorial losses or compromise the country’s sovereignty. As diplomatic efforts intensify, the coming weeks are expected to be critical. Meetings among Western allies in Paris, along with anticipated discussions between Trump and Putin, could provide further clarity on whether the proposed security guarantees can serve as the foundation for a viable peace agreement. For now, Zelenskyy’s message remains consistent: without strong, long-term security commitments backed by the United States and its partners, Ukraine believes any peace deal would be fragile—and the risk of renewed conflict would remain high.