Zelenskyy, NATO chief Rutte discuss lasting peace in Ukraine, security guarantees

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday spoke with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, focusing on security guarantees and efforts to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine.

“I had a good and meaningful conversation with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte,” Zelenskyy said in a statement.

He shared details of his recent meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and stressed the importance of broad international involvement, including Europe, the US, UK and Türkiye.

Rutte, meanwhile, briefed Zelenskyy on his meeting with US envoy Keith Kellogg.

Zelenskyy said they agreed on the need for a guaranteed peace, not just a temporary cease-fire. “There must be confidence that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin won’t return with his war in a few months or years,” he added.

The two also discussed upcoming talks with international partners and coordinated future steps.

“Before any potential talks, all partners must clearly understand that strong security guarantees are the key to lasting peace,” he added.

US President Donald Trump has advanced peace talks to end the three-year-long war in Ukraine, without the participation of Kyiv and other European governments.

A meeting between US and Russian officials was held in Riyadh on Tuesday, and preparations are also underway for a summit between Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.​​​​​​​