Zelenskyy's Stance on Security: Concrete Guarantees Must Precede Peace Talks.

Security Guarantees for Ukraine

According to TSN.ua: In an interview with Politico, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed the critical need for Ukraine to obtain concrete security guarantees, expressing deep distrust of vague promises after the immense losses the country has already suffered. He stated that any guarantees must be clear and specific before negotiations on potential compromises can even begin. Zelenskyy believes that without firmly defined terms, expecting positive outcomes from any diplomatic process is unrealistic.

Zelenskyy highlighted the failure of the Budapest Memorandum, which was supposed to provide security assurances for Ukraine. He added that the United States is currently preparing a new set of security guarantees for Ukraine, which offers hope for rebuilding trust.

“Ultimately, we do not have that weapon, and we do not have security guarantees. No one defended our independence. That is the truth,” - Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Negotiations and Security

Furthermore, Zelenskyy reported that he personally enacted a decision by Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council regarding state security guarantees. This document initiates the preparation of international agreements on long-term security commitments from partner nations. The President emphasized the importance of the public seeing the substance of these future guarantees.

“That is precisely why people must see what these security guarantees will be,” he stressed.

Zelenskyy also outlined his firm position on the sequence of negotiations, noting: “But they said: first — this exchange of territories or something like that, and then — security guarantees. I believe that security guarantees must come first.” This approach underscores his determination to achieve tangible results based on explicit commitments, not abstract pledges. The potential security guarantees from the U.S. remain a key topic, and their effectiveness will be judged by subsequent actions. These demands reflect the painful lessons of past agreements that failed to deter aggression.

President Zelenskyy's statements underscore the paramount importance of security guarantees in Ukraine's current situation, where defense capabilities and support from Western partners are crucial. Against the backdrop of historical failures like the Budapest Memorandum, Ukrainian authorities are seeking not just declarative, but binding and specific commitments from international allies. This could represent a vital step toward strengthening national security and ensuring stability in the region.