Zelenskyy describes the security guarantees as “strong,” and the specified period as extendable. He says he had asked US President Donald Trump for security guarantees for up to 50 years.
"I told him that we already have a war going on and that it has been going on for almost 15 years. So I really wanted the guarantees to last longer," Zelenskyy said on Monday.
"I told him we really want to consider the possibility of 30, 40, 50 years. The president said he would think about it."
According to Zelenskyy, the presence of foreign soldiers in Ukraine is a necessary part of a security guarantee.
Continuing risks
Security guarantees and the issue of Ukrainian territories have been among the most difficult points in the work on a peace plan.
After Sunday's meeting at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump said the agreement includes security guarantees and praised the progress he believes has been made. According to Trump, the peace talks are in their final stages. On Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said "of course" when asked if he agreed with Trump's assessment.
But Zelenskyy emphasizes that the territorial issues and the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remain. He wants an agreement to end the war to be signed by Ukraine, Russia, European countries and the United States.
Want to meet in Kyiv
When the war with Russia is over and Ukraine has received security guarantees from the West, the country will lift martial law, Zelenskyy said.
"Without security guarantees, this war cannot be considered completely over. We cannot admit that it has ended, because with such a neighbor there is still a risk of renewed aggression," he said.
The Ukrainian president also says that he would like to have a meeting between representatives of the United States, Ukraine and European countries in the coming days, in Kyiv.
"We want this meeting to take place, and I believe we will do everything we can to finally hold it in Ukraine," Zelenskyy said.
