Zelensky Presses Europe and Trump for Binding Ukraine Security Guarantees

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he has begun working with U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg on preparations for a possible face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The talks with the former White House national security adviser on 25 August focused on drafting a “basic plan” of security guarantees for Kyiv and on ways Washington could increase pressure on Moscow to engage in substantive negotiations to end the war. Addressing a virtual gathering of the leaders of Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Denmark on 29 August, Zelenskiy urged Europe to formulate a clear, legally binding package of security commitments for Ukraine. He called for the matter to be elevated to heads-of-state level and asked that any guarantees be ratified by the parliaments of allied countries to ensure they are enforceable. Zelenskiy added that he intends to confer with U.S. President Donald Trump next week to secure American backing for the proposed framework. Kyiv’s prime minister will travel to the United States in parallel to discuss investment with the U.S. Business Secretary. The diplomatic push comes after an overnight Russian missile strike on Kyiv that authorities said killed 22 people, underscoring what Zelenskiy described as the urgency of establishing credible deterrents against future attacks.