Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has confirmed that the current 20-point framework for ending the war with Russia will be structured as a bilateral agreement: Ukraine will sign directly with the United States, while the U.S. will sign a separate agreement with Russia. The European Union will not be a direct signatory to this document. In a wide-ranging interview with EUalive’s partner European Pravda , Sybiha described the format as follows: “If we’re talking strictly about this 20-point framework, it is currently a bilateral document that will be signed by the U.S. and Ukraine. And with Russia – the U.S. will sign it. As of now, this is the structure being discussed, but negotiations are still ongoing; it’s a process.” He stressed that, despite the absence of an EU signature, no provision in the framework can contradict prior agreements with European partners. “Even if there’s no EU signature on the document – there can’t be any points in it that aren’t agreed with European allies,” Sybiha said. Europe remains actively involved in the peace process, particularly in discussions on security guarantees. The minister highlighted a significant terminological shift from vague “assurances” to binding “security guarantees.” “By the way, it’s important that for the first time we’re talking about the term ‘security guarantees,’ not ‘assurances’ or something similar,” he noted. These guarantees, he added, must be legally enforceable and require ratification – especially in the U.S. Congress. “Therefore, it’s important that there is agreement on the need for ratification of the guarantees – in particular, their ratification in the U.S. Congress.” On the framework’s reference to Ukraine’s potential EU accession (possibly as early as 2027), Sybiha urged caution. “The EU has its own procedures, and we are hostage to the consensus approach in some matters,” he explained, warning against building excessive expectations around timelines due to the bloc’s decision-making complexities. Sybiha also revealed that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is prepared to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin personally to address the most sensitive issues, including territorial disputes and the status of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. He noted that a bilateral U.S.-Ukraine document on security guarantees is already fully prepared. The comments follow recent trilateral discussions in the UAE involving Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia, aimed at finalizing parameters for a lasting peace and long-term security arrangements. While the EU continues to participate in related talks, the bilateral structure reflects the U.S.-led mediation approach in the current phase of negotiations. Caption: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha attends a meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, 3 December 2025. EPA/OLIVIER MATTHYS