The Fort Worth Press - US offered Kyiv 15 years of security guarantees, Zelensky says

Zelensky held talks with Trump in Florida, where the US leader said a deal to end almost four years of war with Russia was closer than ever.

The wartime president said the issue of territory and the future of Ukraine's Moscow-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant were the remaining unresolved parts of a plan to end the war.

But Zelensky added that he considered the presence of international troops in Ukraine a necessary part of the guarantees, which Russia has rejected in the past.

Still, the Kremlin agreed with Trump's assessment that talks were in their final stages, while repeating its maximalist demand for Kyiv to withdraw from eastern Ukraine.

Kyiv was hoping for a meeting with European and American officials in Ukraine in the "coming days" to work on documents to end the conflict, Zelensky said.

Any deal to end Europe's worst conflict since WWII "must be signed by Ukraine, Russia, the US and Europe", he said.

Security guarantees were a priority for Kyiv.

"Without security guarantees, this war cannot be considered truly over. We cannot acknowledge that it has ended, because with such a neighbour there remains a risk of renewed aggression," Zelensky said.

He had told Trump the 15-year offer was too short a period for Kyiv.

"I told him that we really want to consider the possibility of 30, 40, 50 years," he added. "The president said he would think about it."

- 'Strikes us with missiles' -

Zelensky spoke as Russia continued its relentless attacks into the holiday season and pressed on with its maximalist demands in Ukraine.

Zelensky repeated that Kyiv was ready for "any" format of meetings -- including with Putin if necessary -- but said he still did not think the Kremlin chief wanted peace.

He accused Putin of misleading Trump.

"On the one hand, he tells the president of the United States that he wants to end the war and that this is his desire," Zelensky said.

"And on the other hand...he strikes us with missiles (and) gives instructions to his generals about where to advance."

Putin has for weeks told Russians Moscow was intent on achieving its aims in Ukraine by force if diplomacy fails.

Moscow wants to keep all the territory it occupies in Ukraine as well as be handed lands in eastern Ukraine still controlled by Kyiv.

The Kremlin on Monday again called for Ukraine to withdraw from unoccupied parts of Donbas, warning that "Ukraine is losing territory and will continue to do so."

It said it expected Putin and Trump to speak by phone in the "very near future."

- Territory issue unresolved -

Trump on Sunday acknowledged the issue of territories were unresolved between the warring countries, showing little sign of a breakthrough.

"It's unresolved, but it's getting a lot closer. That's a very tough issue, but one that I think will get resolved," Trump said.

Zelensky also said it was a remaining issue and offered little detail, only saying:

"We will act in accordance with the interests of Ukraine."

The current plan, revised after weeks of intense US-Ukrainian negotiations, would stop the war at the current frontlines in the eastern Donbas region and set up a demilitarized area, while Russia has long demanded territorial concessions.

But the Kremlin has shown no sign of compromise, with Putin repeatedly saying his troops will seize the rest of Ukrainian land he has proclaimed as Russian.

Outnumbered and exhausted Ukrainian troops have struggled to hold back a Russian advance, which picked up pace since autumn.

Moscow on Monday said it took another village, Dibrova, in the Donetsk region.

M.T.Smith--TFWP