Ukraine’s Zelensky wants talks with allies on security guarantees at level of leaders
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wants Nato-like commitments from Ukraine's allies, ratified through their Parliaments.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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- Zelensky wants leaders, including Trump, involved in Ukraine security guarantee talks, aiming for legally binding commitments, not another Budapest Memorandum.
- He anticipates further discussions with European leaders on NATO-like commitments and seeks to connect with Trump to explain Ukraine's vision.
- Zelensky will remind Trump of his deadline for deciding on new measures against Russia, given Putin hasn't backed away from demands.
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KYIV – Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug 29 that discussions by Kyiv’s partners on security guarantees for Ukraine should take place at the level of leaders and that US President Donald Trump should be involved.
The Ukrainian leader also said Mr Trump should be reminded in the coming days of his self-imposed deadline to decide on new measures against Russia as Russian President Vladimir Putin has failed to commit
Ukrainian officials are seeking robust commitments
Mr Zelensky, speaking to reporters in Kyiv, said he expects to continue discussions with European leaders next week on what he described as Nato-like commitments.
“We need the architecture to be clear to everyone,” he said. “Then we want to connect with President Trump during a meeting... and tell him how we see it.”
Mr Zelensky also said he would like to see allies ratify any security guarantees through their respective Parliaments.
“We want legally binding security guarantees. We don’t want (another) Budapest Memorandum,” he said, referring to a 1994 deal
Ukraine has urged allies including the US to pressure Russia, which has not backed away from what Kyiv and its partners describe as maximalist demands, to come to the negotiating table.
Officials in Kyiv pointed to Russia’s latest missile and drone strikes
Mr Zelensky on Aug 29 recalled an earlier statement by Mr Trump that he would give Mr Putin a week or two to agree on a bilateral meeting with the Ukrainian leader before potentially announcing new action against Russia.
“Two weeks will be on Monday. And we will remind everybody,” Mr Zelensky said. REUTERS
