Russian invasion Negotiations

Zelensky: A significant chance of agreement

The chance of an agreement that ends the war in Ukraine is currently “significant”. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky writes on X.

“We are working to ensure that peace for Ukraine is dignified and to secure a guarantee – a guarantee, above all, that Russia will not return to Ukraine for a third invasion”, writes the president.

Zelensky is to meet with European leaders and the US envoy Steve Witkoff this weekend. A summit on Ukraine is to be held in Berlin on Monday.

Zelensky is said to be ready to drop demands for NATO

Zelensky is said to be ready to give up the demand for NATO membership if Ukraine can instead receive security guarantees from the US and Europe in exchange, reports the Financial Times. The proposal is said to be one of the items on the table in talks on a peace agreement.

– We are talking about bilateral security guarantees, Article 5-like guarantees, says Zelenskyj.

Zelenskyj will meet with US envoy Steve Witkoff and several European leaders over the weekend, and a summit will be held in Berlin on Monday to discuss the matter.

Expert on the talks: Russia just wants to keep going

In the coming days, new summits are expected on a possible plan for peace between Russia and Ukraine. But Erik Melander, professor of war science at the Swedish National Defense University, tells SvD that he does not believe in any breakthrough.

– The parties are very far apart, it seems. Russia seems intent on just keeping going, says Melander.

He also says that there is much to suggest that the US seems to be taking the starting point of protecting Russia rather than promoting Ukraine's interests and that it is unlikely that the US will offer credible security guarantees.

Still, a scenario with less credible security guarantees that still involves a pause in fighting might be the least bad option, he reasons. It would give Ukraine time to buy American weapons and build up its own ability to protect itself.