Zelenskyy Welcomes US Security Guarantees and Proposes Trilateral Talks with Russia

Zelenskyy's Response to US Security Guarantees

On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his appreciation for the United States' commitment to providing security guarantees for Ukraine. He proposed the establishment of a trilateral dialogue involving Ukraine, the US, and Russia to address ongoing issues.

Zelenskyy stated, "It is essential that key matters are resolved with Ukraine's involvement in a trilateral format – Ukraine, the U.S., and the Russian leader." He emphasized the significance of this decision, highlighting that the US's readiness to engage in security guarantees is a historic moment. He further noted that these guarantees should be practical, ensuring protection across land, air, and sea, and should involve European collaboration.

I am grateful to all participants of the Coalition of the Willing for today’s conversation in Brussels – on the eve of the meeting in Washington, D.C. with President Trump. It was very useful. We continue coordinating our joint positions. There is clear support for Ukraine’s… pic.twitter.com/Rp3qKkX7vn

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 17, 2025

He also urged European nations to maintain the unity they demonstrated at the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, stating, "It is vital for Europe to remain as united as it was back then. This unity is crucial for achieving genuine peace."

In response, Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's Permanent Representative at International Organizations in Vienna, remarked that the West should extend the same reliable security guarantees to Russia that it has promised to Ukraine. He noted that many EU leaders believe that any future peace agreement must include solid security assurances for Ukraine, a sentiment echoed by Russia.

Ulyanov asserted, "Moscow has every right to expect effective security guarantees as well." He criticized the West for not initiating discussions regarding this matter with Russia, emphasizing that these guarantees should be significantly more dependable than previous commitments regarding NATO's eastward expansion.

US President Donald Trump indicated that if the discussions with Zelenskyy on August 18 in Washington yield positive results, a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin could be arranged. However, it remains unclear whether this meeting would include a trilateral format.