Russia has agreed it will be forced to accept security guarantees for Ukraine proposed by the United States, the head of the Office of Ukraine’s president, Kyrylo Budanov, said.
Speaking during Ukraine’s national television marathon, Budanov said the Russian side made its position clear during recent talks.
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“On security guarantees, the Russian side said directly they would accept the guarantees the United States is proposing to Ukraine — they have no alternative,” he said.
Budanov described the guarantees as critical for Kyiv, stressing that while attitudes toward the United States may differ, its role cannot be ignored. He said Ukraine would prefer security guarantees to be agreed first, before any broader political arrangements, but acknowledged the process may unfold in parallel with efforts to end the war.
“I think security guarantees will be activated alongside the end of the war, if we reach that point,” Budanov said, noting this was his assessment rather than an official, unified position.
The comments come as Volodymyr Zelensky has said US President Donald Trump wants to sign an agreement covering both security guarantees and an end to the war in a high-profile ceremony, while Kyiv insists the guarantees must first be approved by the US Congress, underscoring Ukraine’s demand for binding and credible protections.
The Ukrainian leader has previously stated that a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin is necessary to resolve the most difficult issues.
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Earlier this week Budanov said that Russia’s war against Ukraine is rooted in centuries-old imperial ambitions that have not changed despite shifts in regime. He argued that lasting security for Ukraine and Europe will only be possible when Russia ceases to exist as an empire, while firmly rejecting any territorial concessions to Moscow.
Budanov noted that the war has effectively lasted 12 years – since 2014 – longer than the First and Second World Wars combined. Over that time, he said, Russia has grown weaker economically, politically and demographically, but its imperial ambitions have remained intact.