President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed Sunday that Ukraine has finalized a security guarantees agreement with the United States, with the document now fully prepared for signing. Speaking from Vilnius during an official visit to Lithuania, Zelenskyy explained to reporters that the agreement is “100 per cent ready” and that Ukrainian officials are awaiting word from partner countries on when the signing ceremony will occur. After signing, the agreement must undergo ratification in both the U.S. Congress and Ukraine’s parliament.
This development emerges from two days of significant trilateral negotiations held in Abu Dhabi, bringing together representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States. According to Zelenskyy, these talks were particularly important because they included military officials from all three sides in addition to diplomatic personnel. This comprehensive format, which Zelenskyy suggested might be the first of its kind in considerable time, indicates that discussions are addressing concrete security arrangements and military-technical details necessary for any potential peace settlement.
Zelenskyy’s statements in Lithuania also highlighted Ukraine’s parallel pursuit of European Union membership, with 2027 established as the target date for accession. The Ukrainian president described EU membership as providing an “economic security guarantee” that would work in tandem with military security arrangements being developed with the United States. This dual approach reflects Ukraine’s strategy of pursuing comprehensive Western integration through both security partnerships and economic institutions, creating multiple layers of connection that would ensure long-term stability.
Despite progress on the U.S. security agreement, Zelenskyy was transparent about the deep divisions that remain between Ukrainian and Russian positions. He stressed that Ukraine’s territorial integrity is non-negotiable, stating that this principle “must be respected” in any settlement. This fundamental position conflicts with Russian demands that have been articulated through various diplomatic channels, including recent marathon discussions between President Putin and U.S. presidential envoys. Moscow continues to insist that any peace agreement must include Ukrainian military withdrawal from eastern territories that Russia has illegally annexed, despite not having achieved full control through military operations.
Further talks are scheduled for February 1, when delegations will reconvene in the United Arab Emirates. U.S. officials have indicated that the recent Abu Dhabi meetings addressed a broad range of topics, including military arrangements, economic issues, and even the potential for implementing a ceasefire before finalizing a complete peace agreement. Among the unresolved challenges is establishing an acceptable framework for managing the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest nuclear facility, which remains under Russian occupation. Zelenskyy acknowledged that while the United States is working to identify compromise positions, he emphasized that “all sides must be ready for compromise” if the goal of achieving peace is to be realized.