Is Zelenskyy’s $100 bn weapons purchase offer behind Trump’s security guarantee for Ukraine?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that he discussed Ukraine’s plans to purchase $90 billion in American weapons through European funding during his meeting with Trump and European leaders at the White House.

According to a report by the Financial Times, the security guarantees include a $50bn deal to produce drones with Ukrainian companies. A document of the guarantees does not mention which weapons Kyiv intends to procure; however, Ukraine has been clear about its intentions to purchase at least 10 US-made Patriot air defence systems.

Speaking at a news conference after the White House meeting, Zelenskyy said the matter is still under discussion and no formal agreement has been reached. He added that the agreement is expected to be finalised within the next week to 10 days.

What does the document say?

The document of the security guarantees, as seen by FT, also highlights “lasting peace shall be based not on concessions and free gifts to Putin, but on [a] strong security framework that will prevent future aggression”.

It adds that recent footage aired by Russian media suggests the Kremlin is not serious about pursuing a peace deal and holds a dim view of Trump’s leadership, pointing to disparaging remarks about the US president made by prominent television host Vladimir Solovyov.

The security guarantees document has made it clear that Ukraine would not accept territorial concessions to Russia and pushed for a ceasefire as the first step towards a full peace agreement.

Kyiv has rejected Putin’s proposal to Trump in Alaska to freeze the remainder of the frontline in exchange for a Ukrainian withdrawal from the partially occupied eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. The document warns that such a move would provide “a foothold for a further and rapid advance of Russian forces toward the city of Dnipro” and allow Putin to “achieve the goals of aggression by other means.”

According to the document, Kyiv has rejected Putin’s proposal to Trump in Alaska to freeze the remainder of the frontline in exchange for a Ukrainian withdrawal from the partially occupied eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. The document warns that such a move would provide “a foothold for a further and rapid advance of Russian forces toward the city of Dnipro” and allow Putin to “achieve the goals of aggression by other means.”

Zelenskyy-Putin to meet soon

Putin and Zelenskyy looked set for a peace summit after fast-moving talks Monday between Donald Trump and European leaders that focused on the key issue of long-term security guarantees for Kyiv.

Hopes of a breakthrough rose after Trump said he had spoken by phone with Russian counterpart Putin, whom he met in Alaska last week, following a “very good” meeting with the Europeans and the Ukrainian president at the White House.

It would be the first meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders since Moscow’s brutal invasion nearly three and a half years ago, and comes as Trump tries to live up to his promise to quickly end the war.