Solid security guarantees for Ukraine are key, Tusk says after peace talks
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Saturday evening that, during Ukraine peace talks with European and NATO leaders, there was a consensus on the need for "concrete and reliable" security guarantees for Kyiv.
Earlier that day, Tusk had announced he would speak with leaders including those of Ukraine and the European Union, about the chances for peace, following a Russian attack on Kyiv.
According to dpa German Press Agency, a phone conference between Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders, among others, was held on Saturday evening and focused on the path to ending the war in Ukraine, particularly on territorial disputes and long-term defence commitments.
"All participants (including Scandinavian countries, Canada, the Netherlands, and NATO) agreed that security guarantees for Ukraine are crucial. Concrete and reliable. Such guarantees also mean a safer Poland," Tusk wrote on X after the Saturday call.
He also announced a return to talks after the meeting between the presidents of the US and Ukraine in Palm Beach, Florida scheduled for Sunday.
Territorial control remains a key point of contention in ongoing negotiations. Russia demands the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from parts of Donetsk not currently occupied by Russian forces, while Kyiv seeks to freeze the front line in its current position. The control of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, is also still under discussion.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the negotiations had reached a "turning point," though Ukraine’s proposed 20-point peace plan still diverges from versions discussed by US and Russian delegations.
Russia carried out an attack on Kyiv on Saturday morning, with Zelensky reporting on Telegram that nearly 500 drones and 40 missiles had been used.
Zelensky said that the attack was focused mainly on Kyiv, targeting the energy sector and civilian infrastructure, and that residential buildings were also struck. (PAP)
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