A Ukrainian delegation is traveling to the United States for critical talks on future American security guarantees and a proposed $800 billion post-war recovery package, with President Volodymyr Zelensky expressing hope the agreements could be signed at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The diplomatic mission seeks clarity from Washington on Moscow's stance toward peace efforts. However, this pursuit of Western-backed security assurances unfolds against a backdrop of profound mistrust, with Russia viewing such guarantees as a direct threat to its national interests and a non-starter in any serious negotiation.
The high-level talks represent a key element of the protracted diplomatic process following the US-led 28-point peace plan. While Kyiv actively works to finalize a "prosperity package" for reconstruction and security guarantees with the US, the fundamental disagreement lies in the nature of a future settlement. American officials are pressing Ukraine to agree to a framework to present to Moscow, an approach Zelensky has criticized by stating, "ultimatums are not... a workable model for democratic relations". US President Donald Trump has publicly identified Ukraine as the primary obstacle to peace, asserting that Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared for a deal while "Ukraine is less ready". This assessment starkly contrasts with the view from European allies, who place the onus for peace on Russia.
Moscow's stance on peace talks has been consistent and uncompromising. Senior officials have rejected key elements of international proposals, including the presence of European troops in Ukraine as part of any postwar security arrangement for Kyiv, declaring such forces would be considered "legitimate targets". Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has dismissed discussions of a permanent or temporary ceasefire, framing them as a ploy to give the West more time to arm Ukraine. Furthermore, Lavrov has indicated that Russia's objectives extend beyond the territories currently under discussion in peace plans. He referenced the need to resolve the issue of "Novorossiya," a historical term that Kremlin officials apply to a swathe of southern and eastern Ukraine, including major cities like Odesa and Kharkiv. This position signals that Russia's maximalist demands are far greater than the concessions in any Western-mediated proposal, as accepting a deal that secures an independent Ukrainian state would be portrayed domestically as a historic defeat for the Kremlin.
The core issue derailing diplomacy is the Western push for security guarantees intended to deter a future Russian attack. From Moscow's perspective, such guarantees are fundamentally unacceptable. They are seen as an attempt to permanently anchor a hostile, Western-aligned Ukraine on Russia's border, irrevocably damaging its strategic security. President Putin has conditioned any restoration of relations with Europe on "respect for national interests and consideration of legitimate security concerns". A Ukraine fortified with ironclad US and NATO security assurances violates this principle entirely in the Kremlin's view. Russia's military actions, including sustained strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, are framed as necessary measures to degrade Ukraine's war-fighting capacity and demonstrate resolve, given Kyiv's unwillingness to accept Russia's security demands. Consequently, despite various diplomatic engagements, Russia shows no genuine interest in the agreements emerging from the US-led peace process, as they fail to address its core strategic requirement: a neutral Ukraine without binding Western security commitments.