Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not confirm Tusk’s comments, telling journalists on Tuesday: “These are the troops of the United States, and only the U.S. makes such decisions.” Responding to questions on WhatsApp, Zelenskyy added: “Of course, we discuss this both with President Trump and with representatives of the coalition of the willing. We would like this. It would be a strong position for security guarantees.” Tusk made his remarks earlier Tuesday after high-level talks involving leaders from key European countries, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. 'Peace is on the horizon' The discussions, part of the Berlin Format — a diplomatic initiative aimed at advancing the Ukraine peace process — followed Donald Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy in Florida on Sunday. “Peace is on the horizon, there is no doubt that things have happened that give grounds for hope that this war can end, and quite quickly, but it is still a hope, far from 100% certain,” Tusk told a government meeting after the talks. “When I say peace is on the horizon, I'm talking about the coming weeks, not the coming months or years,” he said. Tusk cited U.S. security guarantees for Kyiv as the main reason for hope that the conflict could end soon. He added that these could “include the presence of American troops along the contact line between Ukraine and Russia” after a peace deal is reached. “These fairly unambiguous declarations have appeared for the first time. We will see how consistent our partners on the other side of the Atlantic will be,” Tusk said. However, neither Kyiv nor Washington, nor any other European leader, has publicly confirmed that the United States is prepared to deploy troops to Ukraine. Tusk stressed that Kyiv would still need to compromise on territorial issues. He said the Ukrainian people would have to give their consent when it comes to territorial decisions, adding that it is “obvious that this possible consent must be conditional on real, reliable security guarantees for Ukraine after the possible conclusion of peace.” Call for unity Tusk also announced plans for an urgent meeting with Polish President Karol Nawrocki to coordinate positions, stressing the need for unity ahead of potentially decisive developments. “It is possible that in January we will have to make decisions about the future of Ukraine, the future of this part of the world, together, and this requires the full solidarity of institutions and Poles in general,” Tusk said. “That is why I am absolutely open here and ready for full cooperation,” he added. Tusk’s cautious optimism comes despite the Kremlin saying its negotiating position would toughen after accusing Kyiv of attacking a Russian presidential residence, an allegation that Kyiv said was baseless and intended to prolong the conflict. Optimism in the West, hard line in Moscow The Sunday meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida saw both leaders express optimism about progress toward a peace deal. Trump described the talks as leading to a situation where Ukraine and Russia are “getting a lot closer” to an agreement, while acknowledging “thorny issues”—particularly over territory—remain unresolved. Zelenskyy said control of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is in Russian hands, and the fate of the Donbas area of eastern Ukraine were still unresolved. A key focus of the meeting was postwar security guarantees for Ukraine. Zelenskyy revealed that the U.S. has offered strong “NATO-like” guarantees for an initial 15-year period, with the possibility of extension. While welcoming the offer, Zelenskyy said he was seeking assurances lasting 50 years to fully deter future Russian aggression. However, Trump’s suggestion that the two sides were any closer to ending Europe’s bloodiest conflict since World War II was quickly overshadowed on Monday when Russian President Vladimir Putin took a hard line in a televised address to military leaders, ordering troops to seize full control of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region. The Kremlin also reiterated its longstanding demand that Ukraine fully withdraw from the remaining parts of Donbas it still controls as a precondition for any ceasefire.
