Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, ahead of trilateral talks with Russia and the United States, asserted that Kyiv would not sign a peace deal without long-term security guarantees from Washington. While addressing the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Zelenskyy also sought a clear pathway to European Union membership. He stated that while the US has proposed a 15-year arrangement, Ukraine wanted a longer framework that clearly defines the support Washington would provide.

Zelenskyy further stated that the EU officials have suggested that Ukraine could join the European Union by 2027; however, he demanded a definitive timeline. "I hope the trilateral meetings next week will be serious, substantive, helpful for all of us but, honestly, sometimes it feels like the sides are talking about completely different things," Zelenskyy said in his speech.

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He further stated that the US often discusses concessions in the context of Ukraine, adding that he was curious to know if Russia was ready for any concession. "The Americans often return to the topic of concessions and too often those concessions are discussed only in the context of Ukraine, not Russia," the Ukrainian president said.

Apart from this, the European leaders have also expressed frustration over an alleged reluctance shown by the US in providing security guarantees to Ukraine. They have advised Washington to define the guarantees for clarity and transparency. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that both the US and Europe "belong together" and proposed working in partnership.

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Earlier on February 2, Zelenskyy said that the US has given a deadline to reach an agreement to end the Russia-Ukraine war. The United States wants Russia and Ukraine to find a solution on how to end the war before summer (June), Zelenskyy asserted.