Zelenskyy: Ukraine must first receive strong security guarantees from the US and American peacekeepers to end the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that any effective peacekeeping force deployed in Ukraine must include US troops. He added that European allies do not have enough soldiers to deter Putin effectively, and any other solution could lead to a split within NATO. Zelenskyy is determined to make Kyiv’s voice heard when major powers begin to discuss its future.

“We do not want this to happen behind the backs of Ukrainians,” he said.

For Ukraine, the key to any deal will be security guarantees from the US and Europe, which must be sufficient to deter Russia from invading again. The Ukrainian president said he wants to get those commitments from Trump before engaging directly with Putin.

“The only question is what the security guarantees will be, and honestly, I want to have an understanding of this before the talks. If Trump can guarantee this strong and irreversible security for Ukraine, we will move along this diplomatic path,” he said.

“Ending the war should be a victory for Trump, not for Putin,” Zelenskyy said.