Following a high-level meeting in Florida, the United States has reportedly agreed in principle to provide Ukraine with a substantial security guarantee lasting 15 years. The agreement, described as “strong,” emerged from discussions aimed at forging a path to end the ongoing conflict. However, significant hurdles remain, most notably the unresolved future of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.
The proposed guarantees are envisioned as a cornerstone of a broader peace framework. According to sources, the final pact would require ratification by both the U.S. Congress and Ukraine’s parliament. Kyiv views such long-term assurances as essential for national security and a deterrent against future aggression, citing the failure of past international agreements to protect its sovereignty.
Specific details of the U.S. commitments are still being finalized. The American side has explicitly ruled out the deployment of peacekeeping forces. Instead, discussions have focused on the potential for an international monitoring presence in a post-war Ukraine as a primary mechanism for stability and public reassurance. Ukrainian officials expressed a desire for an even longer guarantee, suggesting a duration of 30 to 50 years, a proposal the U.S. side has agreed to consider.
While the American president characterized the talks as productive and stated a peace deal is nearer than before, a stark gap persists with Moscow’s position. Russian officials reiterated demands for a Ukrainian military withdrawal from key defensive positions in the Donetsk region, warning of further territorial losses if their terms are not met. The status of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant also remains a major point of contention.
Ukraine has firmly rejected any cession of sovereign territory. As an alternative, it has proposed establishing a demilitarized zone with special economic status along the current front line, contingent on a mutual withdrawal of forces. This proposal could be presented to the Ukrainian public in a national referendum, provided a sustained ceasefire of at least 60 days is first secured. Ukrainian leadership has framed such a vote as a critical democratic instrument for validating any peace settlement.
The Florida meeting, described by participants as substantive, marked a contrast to previous diplomatic tensions between the two leaders. Further coordination with European allies is planned, with a follow-up meeting in Washington anticipated for next month.
