Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he could meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, but only after his allies agree on security guarantees for Ukraine to deter future Russian attacks after the fighting stops.
In comments published on Thursday night, he also warned that both sides were preparing for more fighting. Russia is massing troops on the southern front line and Ukraine is testing a new long-range cruise missile, Zelensky said.
Russia has said Ukraine does not appear interested in a “long-term” peace, accusing Kiev of seeking security guarantees that are completely incompatible with Moscow’s demands.
US President Donald Trump is trying to end Russia’s three-and-a-half-year invasion of Ukraine through talks with Zelensky and Putin.
Although he has reversed decades of Western policy of isolating Russian steel, he has made little tangible progress toward a peace deal.
“We want to see the architecture of security guarantees within seven to ten days,” Zelenski told reporters and added:
“We have to understand which country will be ready to do something at any given moment”.
A group of allies led by Great Britain and France is assembling a military coalition to support security guarantees, AFP reports.
