Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spent Tuesday in a series of high-stakes phone calls with European leaders, pressing for tighter sanctions on Russia and stronger commitments to Ukraine’s long-term security.
The discussions followed his meetings a day earlier in Washington with President Donald Trump and top European officials, where the focus was squarely on how to secure peace without sacrificing Ukraine’s sovereignty.
In a call with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Zelenskyy highlighted what he described as the most meaningful outcome of the Washington talks: progress toward binding security guarantees for Ukraine. “We are confident that peace can be reliable and lasting, and security guarantees are the key to this,” Zelenskyy wrote later on Telegram. He noted that Norway and Ukraine would also deepen cooperation in the energy sector—an area where Kyiv has sought to reduce its vulnerability to Russian leverage.
The Ukrainian leader also spoke with European Council President António Costa, emphasizing the need for Europe to remain united as Ukraine edges closer to EU integration. According to Zelenskyy, their conversation centered on the European Council’s upcoming session devoted to the Washington meetings, which he called “an important step toward ending this war and ensuring security for Ukraine and the whole of Europe.”
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Sanctions remained a dominant theme. Zelenskyy confirmed that the European Union is preparing its 19th package of penalties against Moscow, underscoring that “pressure must be increased until Russia takes real steps to stop the war.” EU officials have not yet disclosed the details of the package, but Kyiv has consistently lobbied for tougher measures targeting Russian energy revenues and financial networks.
For Zelenskyy, the immediate diplomatic push is about keeping momentum alive on multiple fronts: firming up Western security commitments, maintaining economic pressure on Russia, and keeping EU accession talks moving forward. He reminded European partners that opening new “negotiation clusters” for Ukraine’s membership bid is not just symbolic, but a tangible step toward anchoring the country within the bloc.
Talks are expected to continue in the coming weeks at the trilateral level, with Russian President Vladimir Putin potentially entering the next phase of dialogue. For Kyiv, however, the message remains consistent: peace is only durable if backed by guarantees—and only possible if Europe and the United States remain firmly aligned.
