Ukraine wants "50 years of security guarantees," while Trump only wants to give "15 years."
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Although Trump called the US-Ukraine meeting "very good," Western opinion unanimously believes that difficult issues remain unresolved, and after three hours of talks, there was still no breakthrough.
According to Global Times, after the US-Ukraine meeting, Ukrainian President Zelensky stated that he requested the US provide Ukraine with security guarantees for as long as 50 years, but what was ultimately implemented in the "peace agreement" was that the US provided Ukraine with 15 years of security guarantees.
According to reports, when Zelensky proposed to at least double the duration, Trump responded by saying “will consider it.” Zelensky emphasized:
We have already fought for nearly 15 years, so we very much hope for a longer guarantee period.
Trump confirmed that a "strong" security agreement would be reached and stated that European countries would participate vigorously under the support of the US. However, he did not specify the content of the security guarantee. Zelensky revealed that Trump had confirmed the details to him and said the agreement would require congressional approval.
Western opinion unanimously believes that the meeting between Trump and Zelensky failed to solve the core issues regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict: the territory of eastern Ukraine and control over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
Disagreement on Duration of Security Guarantees
During the weekend discussions, Kyiv demanded that security guarantees last up to 50 years after the conflict ended. On Monday, Zelensky told reporters that in the current draft document, the US proposed a 15-year guarantee period, with a possible extension.
Zelensky told Trump:
We very much hope you will consider the possibility of 30, 40, or 50 years; this will be a historic decision for President Trump.
Zelensky stated that he believes having foreign troops stationed in Ukraine is an essential part of any agreement to secure Kyiv’s safety and end the war. It is still unclear in what form this guarantee will take.
Earlier this month, European leaders stated that, as part of the US-proposed "peace agreement," Europe was prepared to lead a "multinational force" in Ukraine.
But Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov stated on the 28th that any European troops sent to Ukraine would be considered legitimate military targets by Russian forces.
French President Macron revealed on the 29th that, together with several other European leaders, he had communicated with Zelensky and Trump. Afterwards, he also had a separate call with Zelensky. Macron said:
We are making progress on Ukraine's security guarantees, which are vital for building a just and lasting peace.
He also disclosed that a "Volunteer Coalition" meeting is scheduled to be held in Paris in early January 2026, at which the specific contribution allocation for each country will be finalized. In January next year, US, European, and Ukrainian leaders will hold a meeting in the United States.
Territorial Issues Reach an Impasse
Zelensky stated on Monday that no agreement had been reached regarding control of the Donetsk region and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
According to Global Times, prior to the meeting, Zelensky said that 90% of the terms in the “peace agreement” had already been agreed upon. Afterwards, he used the same figure. The report cited foreign media saying the remaining 10% concerns whether Ukraine will cede eastern territories and control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is currently under Russian control.
Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. According to Trump, he and Zelensky discussed this issue "for a long time." The US plan is for the United States, Russia, and Ukraine to jointly operate the nuclear power plant and profit from it, but Zelensky rejected any form of Russian commercial participation.
The more difficult issue is territorial. According to foreign media cited by the Global Times, both Trump and Zelensky made very positive statements after the meeting, but the question of whether Ukraine will need to cede territory in exchange for peace commitments remains unresolved.
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