Ukraine wants to end war with just peace. Strong security guarantees are needed, - Zelenskyy
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine wants to end the war with a just peace, but the European contingent in the country cannot be the only guarantee of security.
The head of state said this at a press conference with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Censor.NET reports citing the EP.
According to him, the most important expectation now is to end the war and strong security guarantees.
We want to end (the war - ed.) with a just peace, and for this we need confidence that Russia will not return with war against Ukraine again. We need strong security guarantees," the president emphasized.
Zelenskyy noted that he expects the United States to continue its policy of strengthening Ukraine.
According to him, the teams are currently working on the content and format of the upcoming meeting that will take place after the inauguration.
In addition, the President considers EU membership and future NATO membership to be strategically strong guarantees of Ukraine's security.
Security guarantees should also include "serious arms packages and support for our army, which cannot be reduced when you are a neighbor to Russia."
Zelenskyy also noted that Ukraine supports the deployment of contingents of certain allied countries on its territory as a potential security guarantee. But, he noted, this deployment cannot be the only guarantee of security.
The question is what kind of contingent, from which countries, what is its quantitative and qualitative composition, where it will be deployed. Not a showcase story, but a real capability," the President said.
He emphasized that these should primarily be instructors with an extensive training program and training of the Ukrainian military on the territory of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said that he had already discussed this issue with the Baltic partners and would discuss it with the British leader.
In addition, the president emphasized that Ukraine would not play "games with messages about reducing" its army.
"Our army today is the only guarantee of security... How to maintain a large army is also part of these agreements," Zelenskyy added.
Peacekeeping forces in Ukraine
Earlier it was reported that French President Emmanuel Macron would discuss with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk the deployment of peacekeeping forces in Ukraine in the event of an agreement to end the current phase of the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk denied that Polish troops would be sent to Ukraine after the ceasefire.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas assessed the possibility of sending a European peacekeeping mission to Ukraine.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crozetto expressed his readiness to support a peacekeeping mission to Ukraine if peace is achieved.
In turn, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called these discussions "premature."
Germany, together with its partners , will consider the possible deployment of peacekeepers in Ukraine as part of "security guarantees" only after the conditions are created, namely a ceasefire with Russia.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has stated that several countries are currently considering participation in a potential contingent of Western allies in Ukraine. However, specific plans for the deployment of foreign troops are still under discussion.
