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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that the U.S.-Ukraine security agreement, which he has said would be an essential component of any peace deal with Russia, is “100% ready” after trilateral talks among the three nations.
“For us, security guarantees are first and foremost guarantees of security from the United States. The document is 100% ready, and we are waiting for our partners to confirm the date and place when we will sign it,” Mr. Zelenskyy told reporters in Lithuania Sunday.
The agreement would reportedly give Ukraine a 10-year security commitment from Washington aimed at deterring further aggression. Mr. Zelenskyy had pushed for a 50-year security guarantee.
Although all parties agree that the peace talks in Abu Dhabi are bearing fruit, Moscow cautioned Monday that serious issues remain unresolved as the war enters its fifth year.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov pointedly poured cold water on Mr. Zelenskyy’s optimism.
“It would be a mistake to expect any significant results from the initial contacts. The very fact that these contacts have begun in a constructive way can be assessed positively, but there is still serious work ahead,” Mr. Peskov said.
Mr. Zelenskyy acknowledged that fundamental differences remain between Russian and Ukrainian demands.
A major sticking point is whether Russia must give up captured portions of Ukraine’s eastern provinces. In particular, Russia is looking to maintain control over Ukraine’s heavily industrialized Donbas region. Moscow claims its troops have control of about 90% of the province.
Ukraine has insisted that its territorial integrity is non-negotiable and has demanded that Russian troops leave Donbas. Some reports indicate that U.S. officials have presented plans to create a demilitarized buffer zone in Ukraine’s eastern provinces, forcing Kyiv to give up parts of the region.
“Do we consider ceding any territories? According to the law, we don’t have such right,” Mr. Zelenskyy told reporters in December. “According to Ukraine’s law, our constitution, international law, and to be frank, we don’t have a moral right either.”
Negotiators are expected to meet again next week in the United Arab Emirates.
Ukraine has major European allies on the issue of territorial concessions.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has insisted that any Ukrainian concessions must be voluntary and must be backed by robust security guarantees.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, speaking Monday during a visit to Latvia, urged Moscow to be flexible on the issue of territory, or “negotiations may take a long time or will not be successful.”
Russia, meanwhile, has insisted that any comprehensive peace deal include provisions that ban Ukraine from joining NATO and has ruled out the presence of foreign troops on Ukrainian soil.
Russia is continuing its massive winter assault on Ukraine. Over the weekend, Russia launched more than 375 drones and 21 missiles targeting key sectors of Kyiv’s energy infrastructure, the Ukrainian air force reported.
Reports from inside Ukraine indicate that more than 1.2 million properties were without power Saturday, with outside temperatures reaching well below freezing. More than 3,200 buildings in Kyiv were without heating Sunday evening, said Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba.
Ukraine fired back Sunday evening. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that its air defenses shot down about 40 Ukrainian drones, most of them above the Krasnodar region, which Kyiv says houses a Russian oil refinery used in military supply operations.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.
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