Zelenskyy proposes foreign troops in Ukraine until NATO membership as security talks intensify, citing the need for guarantees against future Russian aggression.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy floated the idea on Monday of foreign troops being deployed to war-stricken Ukraine until the country joins the NATO military alliance.
He made the remark during a joint press conference in Kyiv with German opposition leader Friedrich Merz, as Donald Trump's imminent return to the White House intensifies talk of a possible deal to end Russia's 33-month-old war.
Ukraine, which has made a concerted push to obtain an invitation to join NATO, has insisted throughout the war that it needs security guarantees to prevent Russia launching another invasion after the current hostilities are halted.
"A troop contingent from one country or another could be present in Ukraine for as long as it isn't part of NATO. But for that we need to have a clear understanding of when Ukraine becomes an EU member and when a NATO member," Zelenskyy said.
French President Emmanuel Macron caused controversy in Europe in February when he raised the possibility of European nations sending troops to Ukraine, although he cautioned that there was no consensus on the matter.
"Even if we get invited (to NATO), what happens then? Who guarantees our security? We can think about that and work on Emmanuel Macron's proposal," Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian leader told reporters he was hoping to call outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden in the coming days to discuss NATO membership.
"I intend to call President Biden in the coming time to discuss the question of an invitation to join NATO," he said through an interpreter.
"He is the current president and a lot rides on his opinion. Discussing it with Trump before he takes office doesn't make so much sense."
Russia has demanded that Ukraine abandon its NATO ambitions and sees Kyiv's membership of the alliance as an unacceptable security threat.
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French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to use next week's NATO summit in Ankara to advance his push for greater European responsibility in security, with a bilateral meeting planned with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as Paris seeks closer coordination with key allies.
NATO leaders will meet in Ankara next week for a high-stakes summit focused on defence spending, support for Ukraine and relations with U.S. President Donald Trump, as European allies seek to present a united front despite transatlantic tensions.
When NATO leaders gather in Ankara on 7-8 July, defence spending will dominate the agenda. The summit come as all NATO members for the first time have spent at least 2 per cent of gross domestic produce (GDP) on defence, a target which was adopted in 2014.
Estonia is planning to allow citizens of other NATO member states to volunteer for wartime defence roles under proposed legislation, according to reports by public broadcaster ERR News.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has raised its forecast for the rapid emergence of a strong El Niño, warning the climate pattern is likely to drive higher global temperatures and intensify extreme weather in the months ahead.
India is investigating a data breach at Tata Electronics that exposed sensitive documents linked to Apple's unreleased iPhone 18 Pro, marking the government's first public comments on the incident.
Iran and the U.S. have concluded indirect talks in Doha without a major breakthrough, with discussions focused on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and frozen Iranian funds. Both sides are expected to meet again after the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
International politicians and religious leaders have paid respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei throughout the day, ahead of his six day funeral ceremony which begins on Saturday. His casket is currently on display at the Iman Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran.
Germany has requested urgent talks with China's ambassador following reports that Chinese authorities trained Russian soldiers, adding fresh strain to relations between Beijing and Europe amid the war in Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to use next week's NATO summit in Ankara to advance his push for greater European responsibility in security, with a bilateral meeting planned with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as Paris seeks closer coordination with key allies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated U.S. President Donald Trump on the 250th anniversary of American independence, saying Russia and the United States share a special responsibility for maintaining global security as the world's two largest nuclear powers.
China said on Saturday it had launched a coast guard patrol east of Taiwan, prompting a strong protest from Taipei, which accused Beijing of illegally expanding its authority and undermining regional stability.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 4 July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Russian attacks killed at least six people across three Ukrainian regions on Friday, regional officials said, as Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure continued to add pressure to fuel supplies inside Russia.
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