Zelensky says ceasefire, security guarantees are conditions for just peace for Ukraine

Zelensky describes a ceasefire as the first practical step toward a just peace. It would stop active fighting and create the conditions for serious diplomacy. He argues that peace talks should not begin from a situation where attacks are still continuing. A pause would also let working groups develop a detailed plan.

He said the immediate goal should be moving toward the “right position,” which he defined as a ceasefire. After that, Ukraine and its partners could work on issues such as security guarantees, reconstruction, and long-term protection. He hopes Ukrainian and U.S. teams can meet in Abu Dhabi in early or mid-November.

The article does not say that a ceasefire alone would end the war permanently. Zelensky expects technical talks first and possibly leader-level trilateral talks later. His wider position is that a ceasefire must be followed by reliable guarantees, or peace could remain fragile.

A ceasefire is an arrangement to stop fighting at the present time. Security guarantees address what happens afterward. They are intended to protect Ukraine, support its defenses, and provide a response if Russia launches aggression again. Zelensky links them directly to the goal of a just and lasting peace.

The article gives several possible parts of these guarantees. Ukraine would need a strong army, at least ten years of funding to maintain it, stronger air defenses, and representatives of the European Coalition of the Willing on Ukrainian territory with U.S. support. It also needs a clear response mechanism.

The difference matters because a ceasefire can halt attacks without preventing their return. Zelensky says there is still no clear answer about who would respond, or how, if Russia used drones, missiles, or ground forces again. That unresolved question makes guarantees central to any durable settlement.

Zelensky says Ukraine would need partner funding for at least ten years to maintain a strong army. He presents this long period as part of the security foundation for peace. The goal is not only to end the current fighting, but to ensure Ukraine can protect itself afterward.

The funding would support the army while Ukraine rebuilds after large-scale Russian attacks. Zelensky also connects it to reviving the economy. A stable defense capability, in his view, would help prevent renewed aggression while the country addresses the damage caused by the war.

This ten-year figure is a stated requirement, not a description of an existing funding agreement. The article does not identify the total amount or specify which partners would provide each contribution. It does show that Ukraine’s proposed peace framework extends well beyond the moment of a ceasefire and includes long-term military and economic support.

A peace agreement without a response mechanism could stop the current war without preventing another one. Ukraine might have a formal settlement but still face uncertainty if Russia resumed attacks. Zelensky therefore treats the question of future protection as central to whether peace is genuinely just and lasting.

He specifically asks who would respond, and how, if Russia used drones, missiles, or ground forces again. His proposed safeguards include a strong Ukrainian army, long-term funding, stronger air defenses, and European Coalition of the Willing representatives in Ukraine with U.S. support. These measures would strengthen Ukraine’s ability to deter or meet renewed aggression.

The article says this key question still has no clear answer. That means any agreement could remain incomplete from Ukraine’s perspective. Zelensky’s position is that a ceasefire and diplomacy must be paired with reliable guarantees, reconstruction, and economic recovery to prevent a fragile peace.

Zelensky says Ukraine will continue needing protection after the war ends. Ending active fighting would not automatically remove the danger of renewed Russian aggression. Air defenses and other technologies would help Ukraine defend its territory, while international support would strengthen its broader security position.

His conditions include stronger air defenses and continued access to military technology. He also identifies European Coalition of the Willing representatives on Ukrainian territory, with U.S. support, as one element of security guarantees. Long-term funding would help maintain a strong Ukrainian army during reconstruction.

These needs also connect security with recovery. Zelensky says financial support would help rebuild the country after large-scale Russian attacks and revive its economy. The article therefore presents postwar support as more than military assistance. It includes protection, international involvement, reconstruction, business participation, and Ukraine’s possible accession to the European Union.

Bilateral U.S. security guarantees would be arrangements between Ukraine and the United States. Possible NATO membership would be a different arrangement, as Zelensky explicitly clarified. The article does not define the exact terms of either option. It only says both must provide reliable protection for Ukraine.

A European military presence is described more specifically. Zelensky refers to representatives of the European Coalition of the Willing being present on Ukrainian territory, with U.S. support. That presence would form one element of broader security guarantees. It is therefore a practical, on-the-ground component rather than the same thing as a bilateral agreement or possible membership.

The options could differ in structure and participation, but the article does not rank them or explain how they would operate. It says the key unresolved issue is who would respond, and how, if Russia attacked again. That response mechanism would determine how credible each arrangement became.

An agreement to stop fighting addresses the immediate conflict, but it may not settle the risks that follow. Zelensky says lasting peace depends on security guarantees. Those guarantees would help Ukraine protect itself and create a clear response if Russia again used drones, missiles, or ground forces.

The article identifies several supporting mechanisms. Ukraine would maintain a strong army with at least ten years of partner funding and stronger air defenses. European Coalition representatives, backed by the United States, could be present in Ukraine. Reconstruction, American and European business involvement, and economic revival would also help restore the country after large-scale attacks.

These elements matter together because security and recovery are connected in Zelensky’s framework. The article also mentions Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. It does not provide a complete implementation plan, but it shows that the proposed peace would involve military safeguards, international relationships, rebuilding, and long-term economic development.