Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed on Monday that the United States is offering 15-year security guarantees as part of a potential peace plan. While Zelenskyy expressed a preference for a 50-year commitment to deter future Russian aggression, he noted that President Donald Trump remains open to extending the timeline.
The announcement follows a meeting at Trump’s Florida resort, where the president claimed the two sides are "closer than ever before" to a settlement. Despite the optimism, Trump cautioned that the complex, monthslong negotiations could still face a collapse if key issues remain unresolved.
Major sticking points include the withdrawal of forces and the future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Zelenskyy emphasized that "without security guarantees, realistically, this war will not end," as Ukraine seeks a permanent solution to a conflict that has persisted since 2014.
The specific details of the guarantees remain confidential but are expected to include monitoring of the peace deal and a partner "presence" on the ground. Russia has already signaled that it will not tolerate the deployment of NATO troops within Ukrainian territory.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that Kyiv’s allies will meet in Paris this January to finalize contributions to the security package. Any final agreement involving the U.S. would require approval from Congress to ensure long-term stability and legal standing.
Zelenskyy intends to put the final 20-point peace plan to a national referendum for the Ukrainian people to decide. However, a nationwide vote would require at least a 60-day ceasefire, a condition that Moscow has not yet accepted without a full settlement in place.