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Zelenskyy: U.S. Security Deal Nearly Ready Amid Russian Objections
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy says a U.S. security guarantee for Ukraine is “essentially ready” as Russia rejects proposed European peacekeepers, calling them “legitimate military targets.”
ND
by News Desk
2026-01-08
Zelenskyy: U.S. Security Deal Nearly Ready Amid Russian Objections

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that an agreement on security guarantees from the United States is “essentially ready” for finalisation by President Donald Trump, following recent negotiations in Paris.

The bilateral document is a cornerstone of any settlement to end the nearly four-year war with Russia, aiming to ensure Washington and other Western allies would defend Ukraine in case of renewed aggression.

Zelenskyy said in a post on X that talks in Paris, involving teams from the U.S. and Europe, had addressed complex issues in the framework for ending the war, with Ukraine presenting possible solutions. He added, “We understand that the American side will engage with Russia, and we expect feedback on whether the aggressor is genuinely willing to end the war.”

Washington, which recently endorsed providing security guarantees for Ukraine, is expected to present any agreement reached with Kyiv to Moscow. Kyiv stresses that legally-binding assurances are critical to deter future Russian attacks if a ceasefire is reached.

However, Russia has rejected a plan from the Paris talks to deploy European peacekeepers in Ukraine, calling the proposal “militaristic” and warning the units would be treated as legitimate military targets. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said, “The new militarist declarations of the so-called Coalition of the Willing and the Kyiv regime together form a genuine ‘axis of war.’”

On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had signed a declaration of intent with Zelenskyy outlining the deployment of troops from their countries after a ceasefire. Moscow, however, has repeatedly warned that NATO involvement in Ukraine is unacceptable.

Zelenskyy also urged continued pressure on Russia following missile attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which left hundreds of thousands without power and disrupted heating and water supply in Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhia regions. Ukrainian authorities scrambled to restore services, with Mayor Borys Filatov of Dnipro calling the situation a “national level emergency.”

About 600,000 households in Dnipropetrovsk remained without power, as energy company DTEK reported ongoing disruptions. Schools in the affected areas extended holidays while hospitals relied on generators. Zelenskyy stressed that international pressure on Russia must continue alongside diplomatic negotiations.
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