ISTANBUL
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that Kyiv is working toward a "final agreement” with the US to end the war with Russia following high-level meetings between Ukrainian officials and envoys of President Donald Trump.
"We sense that America wants to reach a final agreement, and from our side, there is full cooperation. Ukraine has never been, and will never be, an obstacle to peace," Zelenskyy said, noting that his negotiating team, including Rustem Umerov and Andrii Hnatov, returned with strengthened drafts of potential agreements.
Zelenskyy emphasized that while Ukraine is pursuing diplomacy, the international community must provide air defense missiles and weapons funding to counter strikes on Ukraine’s energy sector.
He also confirmed that he discussed the recently approved €90 billion ($106 billion) package for the next two years with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, describing the funding as a "historic decision" for national resilience.
Domestically, the Ukrainian government is managing a massive social support initiative, with Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko saying that nearly 18 million people applied for the "Winter Support" program.
The deadline for the direct assistance applications coincides with the Christmas holiday, with funds intended to remain available through June.
The outreach to the Trump administration comes as Ukraine seeks to secure its geopolitical position ahead of a potential shift in US foreign policy. Kyiv has recently focused on securing long-term financial commitments from the European Union and military hardware from Western partners to maintain its leverage in any upcoming negotiations.