A new deal to stop the war in Ukraine comes with a pledge from the United States to keep the country safe for 15 years. This offer was disclosed after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Florida on Sunday and met with President Donald Trump. After speaking for several hours, both leaders said they believe an agreement to halt the fighting is now closer than it has ever been.
A Long-Term Security Offer
The heart of the speech was a “security guarantee.” This is an open-ended promise that the US will back Ukraine and help to defend it when (inevitably) it comes under attack again. This kind of solid-in-the-backup is the only way, President Zelenskyy told reporters, the war will really stop once and for all. He wants to avoid a situation in which the country ends up back in danger a few years down the road after it has signed a peace paper.
And although the U.S. has placed 15 years on the table, Zelenskyy’s request for a stretch of many more years has so far been declined. He informed President Trump that a 50-year promise was preferable for lasting peace. He thinks that half a century of protection would provide Ukraine the time it needs to fully rebuild itself and stand strong. The two sides are still haggling over the precise number of years, but the 15-year proposal is considered a significant starting point.
And it would be more than just a spoken pact between two men. Formalising the agreement most likely would have to be written and approved by the governments in both countries for it to be official. By making it a legal bargain, the commitment continues regardless of which other leaders may come after. That stability is what Ukraine is seeking as it hunts for a way to put an end to fighting every day.
Difficult Trade-Offs on Land and Safety
There are still some very difficult problems to solve before anyone signs a deal, despite the 15-year promise. The problem there comes down to the land. Russia now controls large parts of eastern Ukraine, and the two sides disagree on where new borders should be drawn. Trump said these “tough issues” are the most challenging aspect of the talks, and more work is needed to resolve them.
Another major concern is a huge nuclear power station that is now under Russian control. They also discussed how to make sure the plant remains safe so that there are no dangerous leaks or accidents that could harm people all around Europe. They will also have to work out how international teams can keep a watch for the peace, to ensure no one starts shooting again once the treaty is complete.
Yet despite these obstacles, the spirit after the meeting was generally upbeat. Both leaders said that about 90% of the peace plan is already complete and agreed upon. Now they are throwing everything at fixing that final 10%. The aim is to reach an agreement that does not merely freeze the war for a few months but brings enduring peace to all parties, and we are committed to that.
The Next Steps for Peace
The world is now watching to see how Russia responds to these new ideas. President Trump indicated that he would be speaking to President Putin shortly, because “what was said during his meeting with Florida is an absolute disgrace.” The Russian government, for their part, have also said the two sides are in final talks but still has a list of demands for things like land that it currently holds. It’s going to take more top-level phone calls, to see if there is some middle ground.
Zelenskyy is also calling for a large-scale summit to take place in Ukraine in the coming days. He has now asked leaders in Europe and the US to come to his country and sign ‘several dozen’ official papers. He thinks that meeting together will show the world that everyone is serious about ending the war. Should the meeting take place, it could be one of the last stages before a peace deal is signed formally.
If a final agreement is reached, Zelenskyy would like the people of Ukraine to be the deciding vote. He says he will conduct a national vote so all residents can vote whether they are in favour of the plan. This would lend more weight to the peace deal and demonstrate that the entire country is willing to turn a page. For now, the priority is still on resolving the remaining disputes and turning 15 years of little violence low enough a price for peace.
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