Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cautioned on Saturday that a new European security framework floated by Washington could allow Moscow to undermine NATO and redraw the continent’s borders.
The proposal emerged from diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to remarks released by the Ukrainian leader’s office. Zelenskyy warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin would likely exploit such negotiations to reopen broader security debates across Europe rather than focusing solely on halting the current conflict.
“In my view, this could be dangerous,” Zelenskyy told reporters on Friday in comments released after an embargo expired. “This should not become the main agenda.”
European leaders have maintained that the continent’s security future must be determined by Europeans themselves, warning against letting Moscow set the terms for a new regional order. Zelenskyy said that Washington had raised the possibility of Ukraine withdrawing from parts of the Donbas region currently outside Russian control in exchange for NATO membership.
He reiterated that Ukraine would not surrender its territory. Kyiv is actively working with international partners on a comprehensive security package that includes defined guarantees from NATO and the European Union, along with financial and military assistance for a set period and a reconstruction plan.
“If the American side confirms this precisely to us, together with our other NATO partners, then I will ask Ukrainian society what it thinks: do we accept it or not?” Zelenskyy said. He stressed that any finalized agreement would explicitly stop short of recognizing occupied Ukrainian territories as part of Russia.
Oil Facility Struck in Russia
While diplomatic maneuvers continued, Ukrainian forces struck a major Russian oil facility linked to the Kremlin’s war effort, Ukraine’s General Staff announced on Saturday.
Attacks on the Samara oil pipeline station near the village of Prosvet in Russia’s Samara region ignited multiple storage tanks on Friday. The facility routes Russian oil to international markets, according to the military. Ukrainian forces also reported hitting the Lipetsk-2 airfield in the Lipetsk region. The Kremlin has not publicly commented on the strikes.
Post-War Security Structure
Zelenskyy warned that broader negotiations could grant Putin an opportunity to demand changes to NATO’s military posture, including the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the continent. He recalled that Putin had advanced similar proposals to then-Joe Biden in 2021.
Any structural changes to European security should be evaluated by European NATO members only after hostilities cease, Zelenskyy argued.
“The order should be: first a ceasefire, then an end to the war in Ukraine, followed by security guarantees for Ukraine,” he said. “There can be no security guarantees in Europe, or for Europe, without Ukraine.”
Ukraine Seeks Energy Ceasefire and Prisoner Exchanges
During recent talks in Abu Dhabi, Ukrainian priorities included securing an energy ceasefire, reopening the Black Sea, arranging prisoner exchanges, and preparing for a leaders’ summit to end the war. Zelenskyy said that the Russian delegation lacked the mandate to settle key issues and showed no willingness to accept an energy truce.
Negotiations in Moscow involving U.S. officials produced an understanding regarding a prisoner exchange involving between 1,200 and 1,300 individuals in total.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy raised concerns regarding SpaceX, accusing the company of restricting access to its Starshield satellite system in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory. He said operating speeds were capped at 161 kph for five days, impeding Ukrainian forces from tracking and intercepting Russian jet-powered Shahed drones approaching from the east.
“The restrictions currently affecting Starshield suggest that SpaceX imposed them,” Zelenskyy said. “That is what our team is reporting to me. So it does not fully match what we were told earlier. We need to determine exactly what is happening.”
