Europe’s Voice Missing From Negotiations
At the Munich Security Conference, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a blunt message: it is a “big mistake” that European leaders are largely absent from the U.S.-brokered negotiations aimed at ending the war with Russia.
Zelenskyy stressed that any lasting peace must reflect the security concerns of the entire continent — not just Kyiv and Washington. His comments echoed recent remarks by Emmanuel Macron, who suggested Europe may need to rethink its own security framework in the face of an increasingly aggressive Moscow.
Another round of trilateral talks between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia is scheduled for next week. Despite renewed diplomatic contact between Washington and Moscow since last year, progress toward a ceasefire has been minimal. Zelenskyy said he hopes the upcoming discussions will be “serious” and constructive, though he expressed frustration that the parties often appear to be “talking about completely different things.”
He also criticized what he sees as a one-sided focus on Ukrainian concessions, warning that failing to demand equal compromises from Russia risks rewarding aggression rather than preventing it.
Security Guarantees and EU Membership
A central demand from Kyiv remains firm security guarantees before any peace agreement is signed. Zelenskyy emphasized that peace cannot survive without a clear and enforceable security system. European nations are expected to carry much of that responsibility, but Ukraine and its allies see an American backstop as essential.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine has prepared detailed proposals and is ready to formalize security agreements with both the United States and European partners. He added that he remains in regular contact with U.S. envoys, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
He also argued that a concrete date for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union should be part of any settlement, suggesting that joining the EU could technically happen as early as 2027.
On the issue of elections — a topic pushed by Donald Trump — Zelenskyy said he is open to holding a vote, but only if a genuine ceasefire is in place. Conducting elections while the country remains under attack would be impossible, he said, particularly with soldiers stationed on the front lines. In a pointed remark toward Moscow, he added that he would welcome a ceasefire that would also allow free elections in Russia, where Vladimir Putin has remained in power for more than two decades.
Targeting Russia’s “Floating Wallets”
Beyond diplomacy, Zelenskyy urged partners to intensify efforts to choke off Russia’s energy revenues, which continue to finance its war effort. Despite sanctions, Russian oil exports remain resilient through what he described as a shadow fleet of more than 1,000 tankers operating near European waters.
“Each of them is, in fact, a floating wallet for the Kremlin,” he said, calling for stronger enforcement measures — including detaining, blocking, and even confiscating vessels that circumvent sanctions.
Zelenskyy said he recently discussed tightening sanctions with Macron and Ursula von der Leyen. The European Union is preparing a new sanctions package as the war enters another year.
Without oil revenue, Zelenskyy argued, Moscow would struggle to sustain its military campaign. “Without oil money,” he said, “Putin would not have money for this war.”
