Zelenskyy to Vance: Ukraine needs ‘security guarantees’ before Russia talks

Vance and Zelenskyy meet on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference to discuss how to bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine war. (Photo/AFP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said his country wants "security guarantees" before any talks with Russia, as the Trump administration presses both countries to find a quick endgame to the three-year war.

Shortly before sitting down with Vice President JD Vance on Friday for highly anticipated talks at the Munich Security Conference, Zelenskyy said he will only agree to meet in-person with Russian leader Vladimir Putin after a common plan is negotiated with US President Donald Trump.

The roughly 40-minute meeting between Vance and Zelenskyy produced no major announcements detailing the way out of the deadliest war in Europe since World War 2. Zelenskyy made a plaintive statement about the state of play.

"We want peace very much," Zelenskyy said. "But we need real security guarantees."

Vance, for his part, said the Trump administration is committed to finding a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia.

"Fundamentally, the goal is, as President Trump outlined it, we want the war to come to a close," Vance said. "We want the killings to stop. Not the kind of peace that’s going to have Eastern Europe in conflict just a couple of years down the road."

Both Vance and Zelensky said they had had a "good" conversation and would meet again for talks in future.

"Our first meeting, not last, I'm sure," Zelensky remarked after the meeting.

Vance was joined on the US side by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Keith Kellogg, President Trump's special envoy on the Ukraine war.

Trump upended years of steadfast US support for Ukraine this week following a phone call with Putin, when he said the two leaders would likely meet soon to negotiate a peace deal. Trump later assured Zelenskyy that he, too, would have a seat at the table.

'New sheriff in town'

Before his meeting with Zelenskyy, Vance discussed with European leaders free speech and illegal migration on the continent, warning that they risk losing public support if they don’t quickly change course.

"The threat that I worry the most about vis-à-vis Europe is not Russia. It’s not China. It’s not any other external actor," Vance said in an address to the Munich Security Conference.

"What I worry about is the threat from within — the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the United States of America."

He warned European officials: "If you’re running in fear of your own voters there’s nothing America can do for you."

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Source: TRT