Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has intensified his push for stronger international backing, urging NATO partners to finalize a clear framework of security guarantees for his war-torn country.
Meeting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Kyiv on Friday, Zelensky said Ukraine&rsquo;s ultimate goal is to secure &ldquo;Article 5-like&rdquo; protections, a reference to NATO&rsquo;s collective defence clause.
&ldquo;The outcome we must achieve is a crystal-clear architecture: which countries assist us on the ground, who guarantees the skies, who secures the seas, and who ensures sustainable support,&rdquo; Zelensky declared in a statement released by his office.
He stressed that guarantees must go beyond rhetoric, including direct financing of Ukraine&rsquo;s military efforts by partner nations. Negotiations between Kyiv, Washington and European capitals are currently underway to define the structure of this security umbrella.
Alongside security talks, Zelensky and Rutte also reviewed arms deliveries under NATO&rsquo;s Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List and discussed coordinated strategies to end the ongoing conflict with Russia.
The diplomatic push comes amid a shifting backdrop. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow sees no readiness for a summit between President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky. &ldquo;Putin is ready when there is a clear agenda and that agenda does not exist yet,&rdquo; Lavrov said in his statement.
He noted that Russia had shown &ldquo;flexibility&rdquo; on issues flagged by Donald Trump during his meeting with Putin in Alaska last week, but alleged Ukraine had blocked progress. Trump, in turn, revealed on Truth Social that he had spoken with Putin about arranging a possible summit with Zelensky, potentially followed by a trilateral US Russia-Ukraine dialogue.
For Kyiv, however, the priority remains securing NATO&rsquo;s commitments. As Zelensky put it, the war&rsquo;s outcome may well depend on whether Ukraine can anchor itself within a Western-led system of enduring military and financial guarantees.
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Zelensky pushes NATO for war-style security pact

Ukraine seeks Article 5-like guarantees as NATO chief Rutte visits Kyiv

Zelensky pushes NATO for war-style security pact

Ukraine seeks Article 5-like guarantees as NATO chief Rutte visits Kyiv

August 23, 2025 | 15:23 IST