President Volodymyr Zelensky outlined three main pillars that should form the foundation of Ukraine’s security guarantees: strengthening the army, international cooperation with partners, and sanctions pressure on the aggressor. He announced this during a briefing.
“I won’t disclose all the details of the security guarantee components, but I believe the following blocks are crucial for Ukraine. The first is our army,” Zelensky said.
He emphasized that the top priority is ensuring stable funding for the personnel of the Armed Forces, who are currently defending Ukraine’s borders. He also highlighted the need for consistent and uninterrupted supplies of weapons.
According to the president, three parallel “tracks” must operate simultaneously in this area, with financial and logistical support from international partners:
- First track — domestic production, including drones, technologies, and other defense solutions;
- Second track — European production, such as air defense systems and artillery;
- Third track — U.S. weapon supplies.
Zelensky noted that Ukraine has already submitted a detailed document to the United States outlining its defense needs:
“We’ve done our homework. We’ve provided this agreement to the U.S.,” he stressed.
The second key element, he said, is a system of partnership commitments to compensate for the absence of full NATO membership.
“We’ve always wanted NATO, but let’s be honest — for now, we’re not being given that opportunity. So, if it’s not NATO, we must understand what our partners are prepared to commit to,” Zelensky said.
He emphasized that defense support — especially in the event of a new Russian offensive — must be agreed upon at the level of state leaders, not only military officials or national security advisers.
“If Russia attacks us again, who among our partners is ready to act, and in what way? We need clarity. We must be certain we’re not alone,” Zelensky stressed.
The third pillar of security guarantees, according to Zelensky, involves sanctions policy.
He underlined that sanctions should be an integral part of Ukraine’s security framework and the response system to potential threats, as security involves not only defense but also effective deterrence.
Special attention, he added, must be given to Russian assets, which should be used to rebuild Ukraine:
“Russian assets must work for the restoration of our country — energy, communications, and more. This is also part of our security guarantees,” Zelensky said.
Finally, the president highlighted that full EU membership is another essential component of Ukraine’s security guarantees, especially regarding long-term economic stability
