Zelenskyy, Rutte discuss ways to pressure Russia into real peace talks

They emphasized the importance of expediting negotiations with the U.S. to secure security guarantees and bolster Ukraine's air defense capabilities.

“We will continue to coordinate for the sake of real diplomacy — Putin pretends that he does not need peace, that he does not need to negotiate, but in reality, pressure from the world can shape Russia's interest in ending the war,” Zelenskyy said.

This follows the Sep. 4 statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that 26 countries had agreed to jointly provide security guarantees for Kyiv.

“Thirty-five countries are taking part in the broader coalition; twenty-six directly support security guarantees in various formats,” he said after the Coalition of the Willing summit in Paris led by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.