US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz emphasized that ending the Russo-Ukrainian war will require Ukraine’s concessions on territory and Russia’s “concessions on security guarantees.”
Meanwhile, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged there is “a long way to go” to reach the end of the war, but he declined to discuss potential concessions or specific details until formal agreements are signed.
This comes after US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy met at the White House on 28 February with the initial goal of discussing a potential peace agreement and finalizing a minerals deal in exchange for aid.
However, the meeting took a contentious turn as Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticized Zelenskyy for being ungrateful for US support and urged Ukraine to make concessions to Russia. According to a CNN report, Zelenskyy publicly expressed gratitude to the US at least 33 times between 21 January 2022 and 12 February 2025.
The meeting ended abruptly without signing the minerals agreement, marking a significant deterioration in US-Ukraine relations.
Speaking to reporters at Stansted Airport, Zelenskyy emphasized that any agreement to end the war must be “honest,” “fair,” and “stable” with “very specific security guarantees,” Sky News reports.
He firmly stated that Ukraine would never recognize Russian-occupied territories as legitimately Russian, describing them instead as “temporary occupations” and asserting that “our territories and our values are not for sale.”
“Our freedoms are not for sale. We’re paying a high price for the fact Russia has brought this onto us,” Zelenskyy said.
Zelensky indicated he hopes security guarantees would prevent future Russian aggression or ensure a “strong response” from Ukraine and allies if it occurred.
In contrast, US National Security Advisor Waltz suggested potential concerns about Zelenskyy’s willingness to compromise, stating to CNN,
“If it becomes apparent that President Zelenskyy’s either personal motivations or political motivations are divergent from ending the fighting in his country then I think we have a real issue on our hands,” Waltz stated.
Waltz also clarified the US position that any future security arrangements should be “European-led” rather than US-led.
“One thing is clear we don’t see Ukraine being a member of NATO because this would automatically drag US troops in.”
Trump also urged Americans to shift their concerns from Russian leader Vladimir Putin to domestic immigration issues, according to a recent post on his Truth Social platform.
“We need to worry less about Putin and more about migrant rapist gangs, drug lords, murderers, and people from mental institutions who are infiltrating our country,” Trump declared, expressing concern that the United States might “become like Europe” if these issues aren’t addressed.
Trump has previously expressed confidence that Putin would “keep his word” after any potential peace agreement with Ukraine, while suggesting that the Ukrainian President is reluctant to pursue peace, making these comments following a reported dispute with Zelenskyy at the White House.