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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has publicly acknowledged for the first time that Russia’s demands for security guarantees could be discussed as part of a future peace settlement, marking a shift amid renewed US efforts to restart negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow, the Financial Times reports.
Zelenskyy said Western countries could eventually discuss the Kremlin’s requests, but stressed that Ukraine’s own security needs must be addressed first. Kyiv and its Western allies have previously rejected Russian calls to reshape Europe’s security architecture, viewing them as attempts to restore Moscow’s influence over neighboring sovereign states.
The war must be resolved before Russia’s demands are considered, Zelenskyy told journalists in Kyiv.
Preparations for talks
Negotiating teams from Ukraine, the United States and Russia are expected to meet in Abu Dhabi in early November for technical discussions on possible de-escalation. Topics are expected to include an energy and maritime ceasefire, as well as reliable security guarantees for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said Europe must be involved in any discussions about the postwar order and security guarantees. While broader principles could be discussed through US mediation, determining the framework for security guarantees would require the direct participation of the European Union and its member states.
Contacts with Putin
The remarks followed a phone call between Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Russian President Vladimir Putin. It was the first direct dialogue between European leaders and the Kremlin chief since July last year.
Zelenskyy said he had spoken with the Nordic leaders both before and immediately after their call to Moscow. They conveyed the impression that Russia was serious about upcoming trilateral consultations in Abu Dhabi.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, however, criticized European efforts to join the negotiations, saying there were no new issues to discuss and predicting further escalation of the fighting.
Kyiv’s concerns
Zelenskyy also said the European leaders’ call coincided with intensifying contacts between Washington and Moscow. Russia is seeking to offer the United States what he described as a form of economic partnership, while US negotiators are discussing major business deals with Russian counterparts, including:
Potential joint ventures between oil giants from the two countries.
The resumption of transit air links and access to Russian airspace for US airlines.
Renewed cooperation in titanium extraction and supply.
Zelenskyy noted that the 2025 meeting between Putin and US President Donald Trump in Alaska had effectively ended the Kremlin’s diplomatic isolation. Kyiv is now concerned about the consequences of agreements reached between Washington and Moscow.
The Ukrainian president also expressed concern over a possible reduction in US troop deployments in Europe. He confirmed that Ukraine was willing to discuss the idea of a demilitarized zone along the front line, provided the issue was addressed directly by national leaders.
Zelenskyy recently also said that Ukraine’s NATO membership would benefit Russia most, despite Moscow’s strong opposition to it, arguing that membership would give Russia greater security than Ukraine’s non-aligned status. He added that Ukraine’s military was as important to the Alliance as NATO was to Ukraine.
