Zelenskyy Calls for Security Guarantees Ahead of Geneva Talks
As a Ukrainian delegation travels to Geneva for a new round of negotiations with representatives from the United States and Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a stark warning and a demand for firm security assurances. The discussions come as fighting continues in Ukraine, and the international community seeks a path toward de-escalation.
Zelenskyy cautioned against any compromises with Russia without “clear” security guarantees for Ukraine, stating that public trust in international promises has eroded following the experience with the Budapest Memorandum. “When you question people who are being attacked, and who are not the aggressors, to make compromises, what do you give them in return?” he wrote in a social media post.
He recalled Ukraine’s decision to relinquish its nuclear arsenal and other military equipment in exchange for guarantees of sovereignty and independence. “we no longer have these weapons, and we do not have security guarantees. No one saved our independence,” Zelenskyy asserted, adding that many Ukrainians, having lost loved ones, homes, and their way of life, fear Russia could “return.”
According to Zelenskyy, the central question for the Ukrainian people is not whether Russia will return, but “what will happen when it does.” Ukrainians want to understand “what the price is” and what concrete security guarantees are being offered by the United States and its European allies.
The Ukrainian president revealed that U.S. Partners have discussed a potential exchange of territories in return for security guarantees. “I think security guarantees come first,” he said, emphasizing that Kyiv is not prepared to accept a compromise that would allow Moscow to “quickly recover and return to occupy” Ukrainian territory. Zelenskyy believes a formal document outlining security guarantees for Ukraine, approved by the U.S. Congress, would send “a strong signal” to the population about the enduring support of the United States and Europe in the event of renewed Russian aggression.
In another message, Zelenskyy warned that allowing “the aggressor” to retain territorial gains would be “a sizeable mistake,” arguing that such an approach could encourage further Russian offensives in the future. He stated that many leaders have erred by allowing “an aggressive country like Russia” to encroach upon their territory, and that Moscow could rebuild its military strength within a few years. “In five years, it will have rebuilt its forces,” he said. Zelenskyy believes any resolution to the conflict must prevent the conditions for a new Russian aggression in the medium term.
Finally, the Ukrainian president called for “total” sanctions against the Russian energy sector, praising the measures taken by U.S. President Donald Trump against Lukoil and Rosneft. Though, he suggested Washington could extend these measures to encompass the entire energy sector, including nuclear energy, which he believes would send “a serious signal to Europeans.”
Zelenskyy added that while the European Union has already implemented numerous measures against Moscow, it has yet to sanction the Russian nuclear industry or the state-owned Rosatom, nor has it targeted officials and their relatives who he claims benefit from revenues in Europe and the United States. He asserted that some of these relatives live, study, or own property in the West thanks to profits from the Russian energy sector, calling on them to “return to Russia.”
