Ukraine-U.S. security guarantees document ready for finalization at highest level: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that a document on U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine is being prepared for finalization at the highest level.

"The bilateral document on security guarantees for Ukraine is now essentially ready for finalization at the highest level with the President of the United States," Zelenskyy said on X after a conversation with Ukraine's top peace negotiator Rustem Umerov on the results of the peace talks in France.

Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian delegation discussed documents related to recovery and economic development with the U.S. and European partners, as well as the basic framework for ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The U.S. side will engage with Russia, and Ukraine expects feedback, he added.

The Ukrainian negotiation team on Wednesday held talks with national security advisors from several European countries, White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law. The discussions focused on ways to end the conflict and provide security guarantees for Ukraine.

Also on Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement that any military units and facilities deployed by Western countries on Ukrainian territory will be regarded as legitimate targets of the Russian Armed Forces.

"These warnings have been issued repeatedly at the highest level and remain valid," she said, adding that the deployment of Western facilities will be deemed foreign intervention, which poses a direct threat to the security of not only Russia but also other European states.

The new militaristic declarations issued by the so-called coalition of willing parties and Ukraine have turned them into a veritable "axis of war," she said.

Zakharova stressed that the West's plan for the further militarization of Ukraine is far from a peaceful settlement, but rather aimed at continuing militarization, escalating and expanding the conflict.

The statement said a peaceful settlement of the conflict is possible only by addressing its root causes, including restoring Ukraine's neutral, non-aligned status, its demilitarization and "denazification," respect for the linguistic, cultural and religious rights of ethnic Russians, Russian-speaking citizens and national minorities, and recognition of the current territorial realities.

Zakharova said these goals would be achieved either through political and diplomatic means or through the special military operation, adding that Russian forces retain the initiative on the battlefield.

Ukraine-U.S. security guarantees document ready for finalization at highest level: Zelenskyy

Ukraine-U.S. security guarantees document ready for finalization at highest level: Zelenskyy

Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Thursday presided over a State Council executive meeting that studied work on building a unified national market and reviewed and approved a plan for the development of a modern emergency response system during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).

Noting that building a unified national market is essential to advancing high-quality development, the meeting called for deepening institutional frameworks in areas such as property rights protection, market access, fair competition, social credit and market exit mechanisms.

The meeting also urged efforts to advance high-standard connectivity of market infrastructure to facilitate smooth economic circulation and effectively reduce logistics costs across society.

Emergency management is critical to protecting people's lives and property, the meeting said. It called for accelerating the development of a modern emergency response system, deepening reform and innovation in emergency management, and improving coordinated response mechanisms.

Efforts should be made to strengthen risk prevention at the source, enhance monitoring, forecasting and early warning, and accelerate a shift in governance toward proactive prevention, according to the meeting.

A draft revision of the Law on the People's Bank of China was also discussed and approved in principle at the meeting, which decided to submit the draft to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for deliberation.

Chinese premier chairs State Council executive meeting