Ukraine is considering several options for security guarantees. The first is bilateral security guarantees from the United States for Ukraine. This would involve a system of guarantees similar to NATO’s Article 5 on collective defence, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at a meeting with journalists on 27 October.
The second format is a Coalition of the Willing with an American backstop. This format cannot be discussed without Europe, and therefore its participation at the negotiating table is essential.
“The third option is NATO. And this also cannot be discussed without Europe — without the Europe that is part of the Alliance,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
A second important topic for discussion with partners is Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction and its economic needs. This, too, cannot be discussed without Europe.
“Because Europe is currently financing weapons for Ukraine and our budget. And likewise we are counting on both the budget and the EU, and on leaders and their businesses, which will come to Ukraine and help with Ukraine’s reconstruction. We do not see a kind of ‘Marshall Plan’ without Europe,” he said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy explained that Ukraine can discuss conceptual matters with Russia with America acting as mediator, but if we move to a format of security guarantees and it is agreed there that the security guarantees are of a kind that requires Europe, then Europe must be present in the discussion of those guarantees.