Zelenskyy Seeks 50-Year Security Guarantees for Ukraine After Trump Talks

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that he has sought long-term security guarantees lasting up to 50 years for Ukraine during his recent meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida.

Speaking to journalists after the talks, Zelenskyy said that any direct engagement with Russia would only be possible after Ukraine, the United States, and European leaders agree on a framework peace agreement. His remarks were reported by Reuters.

Zelenskyy revealed that while he requested security assurances extending as far as half a century, the current 20-point peace proposal under discussion includes guarantees for 15 years, aimed at preventing renewed Russian aggression in the future.

Peace Process and Referendum Proposal

Zelenskyy said he plans to meet with European leaders in the coming days to discuss the evolving peace proposals. He added that any final peace agreement must be approved by the Ukrainian people through a national referendum.

According to the Ukrainian president, such a vote should take place during a 60-day ceasefire, a condition he said Russia currently appears unwilling to accept.

“Russia clearly does not want a ceasefire at this stage,” Zelenskyy said, citing continued drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian territory in recent days.

Talks With Trump in Florida

The comments follow high-level discussions between Zelenskyy and Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday. Trump later told reporters that the talks had been productive but acknowledged that significant challenges remain.

“I think we’re getting much closer — maybe very close,” Trump said, while noting that “one or two very thorny issues” were still unresolved.

Zelenskyy described the meeting as a “really great discussion,” stating that security guarantees were fully agreed upon during the talks. Trump, however, offered a more cautious assessment when asked about that aspect of the proposal.

Dispute Over Territory

When pressed by reporters about the remaining obstacles, Trump indicated that the core issue relates to territorial control.

“It’s about the land,” Trump said. “Some of that land has been taken. Some of it could still change hands, but making a deal now might be better than waiting.”

Russia has demanded that Ukraine relinquish the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine and has so far rejected the idea of formal security guarantees for Kyiv. Ukraine has consistently refused to cede the territory, which remains partially occupied by Russian forces.

Putin Talks and Kremlin Response

It remains unclear whether Zelenskyy would agree to a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin if a peace deal were reached in principle. Both leaders have previously ruled out direct talks with one another.

Trump confirmed that he had spoken with Putin by phone on Sunday, saying the call lasted around two hours. He suggested that Moscow did not appear supportive of a ceasefire that would allow Ukraine to hold a referendum, though he shared few additional details.

Reacting to the developments, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday that Moscow could not yet assess the outcome of the U.S.-Ukraine discussions.

“We don’t know how those talks went,” Peskov said. “After that, the presidents of Russia and the United States agreed to speak again. Only then will we have more information.”