Ukrainian leader meets with US vice president in Germany to discuss ongoing Russia-Ukraine war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that more work remains to end the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
"We are very thankful for American support, President (Donald) Trump," Zelenskyy told the reporters after his meeting with US Vice President JD Vance in Munich, Germany.
Zelenskyy said he had "good" conversation with Vance on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
"Our first meeting, not last, sure and really, what we need to speak more, to work more, and to prepare the plan how to stop (Russian President Vladimir) Putin," Zelenskyy said.
Ukraine wants to end the three-year-long war, he said, adding, "but we need real security guarantees, and we will continue our meetings and our work."
Vance, for his part, said the US wants the war to come to a close.
"We want the killing to stop, but we want to achieve a durable, lasting peace — not the kind of peace that's going to have eastern Europe in conflict just a couple years down the road," he said.
The vice president said they had "a number of good" conversations.
"Certainly, we'll have many more in the in the days, weeks and months to come," he added.
Asked how the US will move forward if Ukraine is not ready to speak with Putin at the table, Vance said: "It's important for us to get together and start to have the conversations that are going to be necessary to bring this thing to a close."
"That's all I'm going to say for now because I want to preserve the optionality here for the negotiators and our respective teams to bring this thing to a responsible close," he added.
- 'We are ready to move as quickly as possible towards a real peace'
The meeting came after Trump on Wednesday held separate phone calls with Putin and Zelenskyy in a bid to end the Ukraine conflict.
Trump said both sides want to end the war, and a meeting was set up for Friday in Munich, where Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, will lead talks.
Zelenskyy reiterated on X that he had "good" meeting with Vance.
"Our teams will continue to work on the document. We addressed many key issues and look forward to welcoming General Kellogg to Ukraine for further meetings and a deeper assessment of the situation on the ground.
"We are ready to move as quickly as possible towards a real and guaranteed peace," he said.
Ukraine "deeply" values Trump's determination, which can help stop the war and secure justice and security guarantees for Ukraine, he added.
