President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the US deal on security guarantees for Ukraine is completely ready, and Kyiv is simply waiting for a time and place to sign it.
Following talks between representatives from Ukraine, the US and Russia aimed at ending the years-long war in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the US agreement on providing security guarantees to Kyiv as “100% ready.”
“For us, security guarantees are first and foremost guarantees of security from the United States. The document is 100% ready, and we are waiting for our partners to confirm the date and place when we will sign it,” the Ukrainian leader told reporters on Sunday during a visit to Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital.
“The document will then be sent for ratification to the US Congress and the Ukrainian parliament,” he said.
Zelenskyy also called for Ukraine to be granted membership of the European Union by 2027. He described it as an “economic security guarantee.”
Zelenskyy says Abu Dhabi talks ‘productive’
On Friday and Saturday, negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the US held their first trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, to discuss Washington’s framework for ending Russia’s nearly four-year full-scale invasion.
The meeting included not only diplomats but also military representatives from all three sides.
No peace deal emerged from the talks but Zelenskyy said they were “productive.”
Negotiators will return to Abu Dhabi on February 1 for the next round of talks, according to a US official.
Zelenskyy stressed there were still fundamental differences between Ukrainian and Russian positions, particularly over territorial issues.
“Our position regarding our territory — Ukraine’s territorial integrity — must be respected,” he said.
He pointed to the Kremlin’s insistence on Kyiv withdrawing its troops from some areas in eastern Ukraine that Russia claims to have annexed but its forces have still not been able to capture.
“These two fundamentally different positions — Ukraine’s and Russia’s. The Americans are trying to find a compromise,” Zelenskyy said, adding that “all sides must be ready for compromise.”
Russian strikes leave Ukrainians facing bitter cold
Despite the talks, Russia continues to launch missile and drone strikes against Ukraine, particularly targeting its energy infrastructure.
To counter them, Zelenskyy appealed for more air defense support from allies.
“This week alone, the Russians have launched more than 1,700 attack drones, over 1,380 guided aerial bombs, and 69 missiles of various types,” Zelenskyy said on Sunday.
“That is why missiles for air defense systems are needed every day, and we continue working with the United States and Europe to ensure stronger protection of our skies,” he added.
Kyiv says this winter has been the toughest since the full-scale war started due to especially severe cold.
Sub-zero temperatures and repeated strikes have also made it difficult repair and restore damaged heating and electricity systems.
On Sunday, Pope Leo also urged “everyone to intensify their efforts” to end the war.
“The protracted hostilities … have increasingly serious implications for civilians,” Pope said after his weekly Angelus prayer.
Source : https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-says-us-security-guarantees-deal-100-ready/a-75653357
