The bilateral document regarding security guarantees for Ukraine is already in the final stages of approval and is ready for finalization at the highest level with the participation of the President of the United States. This was stated by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, following a report by the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, Rustem Umerov, on the outcomes of negotiations in France.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Discussion of the Peace Framework in Paris
During the negotiations in Paris, the parties considered key aspects of the basic framework for ending the war. The Ukrainian delegation presented possible options for refining the document that will define the future system of security guarantees for Ukraine. Zelensky emphasized that the USA plans to consult with Russia, after which the Ukrainian side expects to receive feedback regarding the aggressor’s readiness for a real cessation of hostilities.
“We understand that the American side will be communicating with Russia, and we expect feedback – whether the aggressor is truly ready to end the war… We are also informing our partners about the consequences of Russian strikes, which certainly do not indicate that Moscow is reassessing its priorities. In this context, it is necessary for pressure on Russia to increase just as intensively as the negotiating teams are working,” he wrote in a Telegram message.
The President stressed that the realism of future guarantees must be confirmed by the ability of international partners to effectively exert pressure on the aggressor even now.
Results of the Negotiations and the Paris Declaration
At the end of December, negotiations took place in Florida between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, lasting over two hours, after which the presidents held a phone call with leaders of European countries. Following the meeting, all aspects of the peace framework were discussed in the USA, and significant results were achieved. Zelensky noted that the teams from the USA and Ukraine are to finalize all discussed issues regarding security guarantees in the near future.
In early January, consultations continued in Paris between representatives of Ukraine and the USA. On January 6, a meeting of the “Coalition of the Willing” took place there, where issues regarding the conclusion of the Russian-Ukrainian war and future guarantees for Ukraine were discussed. The discussion included the special representative of the President of the USA, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner.
As a result of the Paris negotiations, the Paris Declaration on “Reliable Security Guarantees for a Strong and Lasting Peace in Ukraine” was adopted. The document provides, in particular, for the possibility of deploying multinational forces on the territory of Ukraine after the cessation of hostilities with the support of the USA.