Zelenskyy Says Bilateral Deal Complete, Military Representatives Participate in Talks

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed on Sunday that negotiations have produced a finalized security guarantees agreement between Ukraine and the United States. Speaking from Vilnius during an official visit to Lithuania, the Ukrainian leader stated that the document is “100 per cent ready” and awaits only the establishment of a signing date by partner countries. Once signed, the agreement will require ratification through legislative processes in both Washington and Kyiv.
This announcement comes after two days of groundbreaking trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi that included representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States. According to Zelenskyy, these discussions were particularly important because they brought together military officials alongside diplomatic personnel from all three countries. He described this as likely the first such comprehensive trilateral format in considerable time, suggesting that parties are now engaging with specific security arrangements and operational details rather than limiting discussions to high-level political statements.
Zelenskyy’s Lithuanian appearance also provided an opportunity to emphasize Ukraine’s European aspirations, with the Ukrainian president setting 2027 as the target date for achieving European Union membership. He characterized EU accession as providing an essential “economic security guarantee” for Ukraine. This dual-track approach of pursuing both military security guarantees from the United States and economic integration with Europe reflects Ukraine’s comprehensive strategy for ensuring its future stability and prosperity through multiple forms of Western institutional integration.
Despite the progress on formalizing the U.S. security agreement, Zelenskyy was candid about the fundamental differences that continue to divide Ukrainian and Russian positions. He emphasized that Ukraine’s territorial integrity is non-negotiable, stating clearly that this principle “must be respected” in any settlement. This stance conflicts directly 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 deal requires Ukraine to withdraw its forces from eastern territories that Russia has illegally annexed, even though Russian military forces have not achieved full control over these regions.
Further negotiations are planned for February 1, when delegations will return to the United Arab Emirates for continued discussions. U.S. officials have indicated that the recent Abu Dhabi talks addressed a wide-ranging agenda, covering both military and economic issues, and even exploring the possibility of implementing a ceasefire before finalizing a comprehensive peace agreement. Among the unresolved challenges is establishing an acceptable framework for the oversight and operation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest nuclear facility, which remains under Russian occupation. Zelenskyy acknowledged that while American mediators are working to identify areas of possible compromise, achieving lasting peace will require all parties to demonstrate flexibility and willingness to make concessions.