President Zelensky said on Sunday that the U.S. security assurance document for Ukraine was “100 percent ready” following two days of talks between representatives of Ukraine, the United States and Russia.
Zelensky told reporters in Vilnius during a visit to Lithuania that Ukraine was waiting for its partners to set a date for the signing, after which the document would be submitted to the U.S. Congress and the Ukrainian parliament for approval.
Zelensky also highlighted Ukraine’s efforts to join the European Union in 2027, calling it an “economic security guarantee.”
The Ukrainian leader said the talks in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, could be the first trilateral format in “quite a while” and include not only diplomats from the three parties but also military representatives. The talks, which began on Friday and continue on Saturday, are the latest in a series of talks aimed at ending Russia’s nearly four-year all-out invasion.
Zelensky acknowledged fundamental differences between Ukraine’s and Russia’s positions and reiterated that territorial issues were the main sticking point.
“Our position on our territory – the territorial integrity of Ukraine – must be respected,” he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed solutions to the Ukraine crisis with U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner during marathon talks on Thursday night. The Kremlin insists that in order to reach a peace deal, Kiev must withdraw its troops from the eastern regions that Russia illegally annexed but has not yet fully occupied.
Zelensky said that the United States is working hard to find a compromise, but “all parties must be prepared to compromise.”
Negotiators will return to the UAE on February 1 for the next round of talks, according to a U.S. official. The official said the latest talks covered a wide range of military and economic issues, including the possibility of a ceasefire before reaching an agreement. No agreement has yet been reached on a final framework for the supervision and operation of Ukraine’s Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, which is occupied by Russia and is the largest in Europe.
