Zelenskyy Expresses Optimism for Security Deal After Meeting with US Envoy

February 21, 2025 TruthUSA

The Kyiv meeting took place two days after U.S. and Russian officials engaged in peace talks that did not involve Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed on Feb. 20 that his discussion with U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg has sparked hope for potential agreements between the two countries amidst political tensions surrounding the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Their meeting in Kyiv happened following the absence of Ukraine in the peace negotiations initiated by U.S. and Russian officials on Feb. 18.

Zelenskyy mentioned in a statement after meeting Kellogg, “It’s crucial for us—and for the whole free world—to sense American strength.”

He detailed that he and Kellogg had a comprehensive discussion focusing on the battlefield situation, the repatriation of Ukrainian prisoners of war, and ensuring security guarantees for Ukraine.

“We must and can guarantee that peace is robust and enduring—preventing Russia from returning with war,” he asserted.

“Ukraine is prepared for a robust, effective investment and security agreement with the President of the United States. We have proposed the quickest and most constructive path to achieve results.”

In a separate post on the social media platform X, Zelenskyy later stated, “My meeting with General Kellogg was one that restores hope, and we need strong agreements with the U.S.—agreements that will truly work.”

He emphasized, “Economy and security must always go hand in hand, and the details of these agreements matter—the better they are structured, the greater the results.”

Initially expected to end with a press conference, the meeting between Zelenskyy and Kellogg was canceled at the request of the U.S. side, as confirmed by Ukrainian presidential spokesman Serhii Nykyforov without giving a reason for the change.

The discussions occurred following the U.S. and Russian officials meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for significant talks aimed at resolving the conflict that arose when Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Ukrainian representatives did not attend the meeting in Riyadh.

On Feb. 19, Kellogg stated that the meeting intended to provide Kyiv with an opportunity to voice its concerns, emphasizing the U.S.’s acknowledgment of the necessity to offer Ukraine security guarantees against potential future Russian aggression.

After Trump suggested that Ukraine was responsible for the conflict and labeled Zelenskyy as a dictator for delaying the country’s election after his presidential term ended, tensions between the U.S. and Ukrainian leaders escalated.

Zelenskyy responded on Feb. 19, accusing Trump of residing in a “disinformation space” propagated by Russia.

As per Kyiv, Ukrainian law forbids holding elections while the country is under martial law, which was imposed following Russia’s invasion.

The discord between the two leaders intensified when Zelenskyy declined a U.S. offer to receive $500 billion in mineral resources from Ukraine in exchange for American wartime aid, citing the absence of the security provisions Ukraine seeks.

During a press briefing on Feb. 20, White House national security adviser Mike Waltz stated that Trump is disappointed with Zelenskyy for turning down the mineral deals and urged Zelenskyy to resume negotiations.

Waltz remarked, “His frustration with President Zelenskyy is, that you’ve heard, is multifold. One, there needs to be a deep appreciation for what the American people, what the American taxpayer, what President Trump did in his first term, and what we’ve done since. So, some of the rhetoric coming out of Kyiv, frankly, and insults to President Trump were unacceptable.”

Waltz refuted the idea that Trump was being influenced by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Adam Morrow and Reuters contributed to this report.

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