Russia Demands Security Guarantees as Zelensky Signals Willingness to Meet Putin

A war that refuses to end

Three-and-a-half years after Russia’s invasion, Ukraine’s war grinds on with no clear end in sight. Tens of thousands are dead, towns like Kharkiv still face drone strikes, and millions remain displaced. Yet this week, the world heard a flicker of something different: talk of peace, and even the possibility of Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky and Russia’s Vladimir Putin sitting down face-to-face for the first time since the war began.

But Moscow has set its conditions. Speaking on state TV, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that no deal would move forward without “guarantees” for Russia’s security and protections for Russian-speaking Ukrainians.

The Washington moment

Hopes of a breakthrough spiked after Zelensky met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, alongside European leaders. Trump later revealed that he had already phoned Putin to lay the groundwork for talks, hinting at a three-way summit. Geneva is one possible venue, according to French President Emmanuel Macron.

For Zelensky, the meetings represented a “significant step” toward peace. Yet the reality remains murky. Trump has long pressed Kyiv to give up its NATO ambitions and even hinted that Crimea should be conceded — two red lines for Ukraine that align with Putin’s demands.

Europe’s unease

Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, both present in Washington, were cautious. Europe’s biggest fear remains the same: that Ukraine could be pressured into trading away territory for peace. Reports suggest that discussions have already floated the idea of Kyiv buying up to $100 billion in U.S. weapons, financed by Europe, in exchange for U.S.-backed security guarantees. Zelensky later cited a $90-billion figure, with details to be finalised within 10 days.

Streets divided: Kyiv vs Moscow

On the streets of Kyiv, optimism is in short supply. “The main problem is Putin himself doesn’t want it,” said Anton, a 32-year-old warehouse worker. “They can meet as many times as they want but Putin doesn’t need it and Donald Trump doesn’t really know what to do.”

In Moscow, however, there was cautious hope. Vyacheslav, a 23-year-old government employee, said he wished talks had started “at the very beginning” but believed mutually beneficial terms could still be found.

The sticking point: security guarantees

Trump has pitched a plan where European powers, with U.S. coordination, would guarantee Ukraine’s security, but without NATO membership. Lavrov welcomed Washington’s “deeper approach” but warned that every detail must be ironed out before Putin and Zelensky meet.

For Ukrainians, this raises a difficult question: can Western-backed “guarantees” ever match the ironclad protection of NATO? For Russia, it is about securing its influence and calming domestic fears that the war’s sacrifices were for nothing.

Commentary: A fragile opening

This is not the first time peace has been dangled before weary Ukrainians. Each attempt so far has collapsed under the weight of mistrust, missiles, and shifting politics. But the fact that both Zelensky and Putin are at least verbally, open to direct talks marks a rare moment in this brutal conflict.

The question is whether this opening leads to compromise, or simply to more months of shadowboxing while people in Kyiv, Moscow, and beyond continue to live with the war’s consequences.

Because for all the grand talk of security guarantees and summit venues, one reality remains unchanged: every day without peace means more lives lost.

{Source: The Citizen}

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