Zelensky Outlines Three Security Options as US Pushes for November Talks With Russia

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Washington was willing to discuss security guarantees that could include an American military response to renewed Russian aggression, but insisted that any agreement must spell out exactly what US forces would do and receive congressional approval. In an extensive interview with TSN’s Alla Mazur, Zelensky said Ukraine was considering several postwar security arrangements, including NATO membership, direct US guarantees and a European-led coalition backed by Washington.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. He stressed that the terms could not be dictated by Moscow and that Ukraine would not accept neutrality or restrictions on its armed forces. “What are the US prepared to do? In what numbers? Aviation or ground operations, if Ukraine needs to be defended quickly?” Zelensky asked. He said the current US administration was prepared to discuss such arrangements, but the details had to be written into a binding agreement rather than left to political promises between presidents. Congress must approve any US guarantees Zelensky said a bilateral security agreement must survive changes in political leadership in Washington and Kyiv. “Congress must vote for the security guarantees,” he said, rejecting another arrangement resembling the Budapest Memorandum, which failed to prevent Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The president outlined three possible security frameworks: Ukrainian membership in NATO, bilateral US guarantees, or a European-led Coalition of the Willing involving more than 30 countries with American support. Other Topics of Interest Ukraine Slams Moscow Hosting 2030 Weightlifting Worlds, Demands Reversal Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urges sporting bodies to reverse Moscow’s selection, warning Russia would use the event to regain international legitimacy. NATO membership remained his preferred option, but he acknowledged that direct US guarantees without formal accession could provide a compromise. However, he said key questions remained unanswered, including whether American forces or military installations could be stationed in Ukraine and how Washington would respond if Russia invaded again. Zelensky said the same uncertainty applied to a European military presence, which Moscow has repeatedly opposed. ‘We are not exchanging anything for anything’ The president rejected suggestions that Ukraine had agreed to trade territory for security guarantees as Washington prepared for renewed negotiations with Russia. “We are not exchanging anything for anything. We are ready for discussions,” Zelensky said. He insisted that territorial questions could be addressed only by national leaders, while technical delegations could negotiate other aspects of a settlement. Zelensky said US negotiators had presented several proposals following talks in Oslo on Oct. 20, which American envoy Steve Witkoff subsequently took to Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. He emphasized that the document was not a completed peace plan submitted to Putin for approval. “Russia does not decide,” Zelensky said, explaining that the proposals were intended for discussion among the parties involved in ending the war. He added that Russian demands could not determine Ukraine’s security arrangements. “The limitation of our army and Ukraine’s neutrality are not up for discussion,” he said. Ukraine wants to retain 800,000 troops Zelensky said the size of Ukraine’s postwar armed forces would remain an internal decision, dependent on financing and the security arrangements eventually agreed upon. “If I have enough money, I want to maintain an army of 800,000,” he said. He stressed that he would not negotiate the size of Ukraine’s military with Russia or, for that matter, with the US. The president said NATO membership could change Ukraine’s military requirements, but the decision would depend on the alliance’s readiness to help finance and equip Ukrainian forces. Without NATO membership, Ukraine would require other credible guarantees alongside a large, well-funded army equipped with modern weapons and technology. He said Washington’s proposals also covered economic questions, reconstruction and territorial matters, although he declined to reveal all details because of understandings with American negotiators. US says Putin agreed to November trilateral talks Zelensky said the Oslo negotiations had also helped reopen a diplomatic channel with Moscow. According to the Ukrainian president, US officials traveled to St. Petersburg after the meeting and subsequently informed Kyiv that Putin had agreed in principle to trilateral negotiations involving Ukraine, Russia and the US in November. Abu Dhabi was among the locations discussed, although Zelensky said the talks could also take place elsewhere in the Middle East or Europe. Kyiv wants European representatives involved and hopes technical negotiations can lead to a meeting between national leaders. Zelensky said such a meeting could address territorial disputes, while other discussions could explore an energy ceasefire, a maritime ceasefire to protect Ukrainian exports and imports, and further prisoner exchanges. He welcomed the return of 270 Ukrainian prisoners but said a comprehensive all-for-all exchange would require negotiations at the leaders’ level. The president said Russia was also seeking security guarantees in discussions with Washington. He acknowledged that he did not know the full details of Putin’s conversations with American envoys, including whether economic issues influenced Moscow’s position. Oslo talks restore intelligence and satellite capabilities Zelensky described the Oct. 20 Oslo meeting as productive, saying it helped resolve two of Ukraine’s three immediate disputes with Washington. He identified the problems as limited US intelligence sharing on Russian ballistic missile launches, restrictions affecting Starlink and Starshield satellite capabilities, and shortages of air defense systems. According to Zelensky, intelligence sharing on ballistic threats had been fully restored, while satellite capabilities returned to the speeds required by Ukrainian forces. He said that during overnight checks with defense officials, the satellite service had resumed operations at speeds corresponding to 420 kilometers per hour, following earlier restrictions. Ukraine’s military welcomed the restoration, he said. The president thanked American officials and Ukraine’s negotiating team for resolving both issues, adding that public attention may also have helped. However, the shortage of air defense weapons remained unresolved. Zelensky said the Oslo meeting had produced tangible results but warned that the situation could change, particularly amid US domestic political developments. Witkoff and Kushner did not visit Bucha Zelensky also disclosed that he had invited US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to visit Bucha during their earlier trip to Kyiv, but they did not go. The president said he had taken them to St. Sophia Cathedral to show them Ukraine’s historical heritage and the reality of life in a country resisting Russia’s invasion. He wanted the American delegation to experience Ukraine firsthand rather than rely on narratives emerging from its contacts with Moscow. Zelensky said he had also hoped to show the envoys Bucha, the Kyiv suburb where evidence of Russian atrocities emerged after Ukrainian forces liberated the area in 2022. “We offered,” Zelensky said when asked whether the Americans had been invited. He said he wanted them to see both the consequences of Russian occupation and how communities were rebuilding. “They did not find the time, but they found time for many other things,” he said. The president acknowledged that the reasons for not visiting Bucha could have varied. Nevertheless, he said showing the envoys Kyiv’s historic sites and the resilience of its residents had helped create an emotional connection with Ukraine. He noted that St. Sophia Cathedral predates Moscow itself, underscoring Ukraine’s long history and independent identity.