Zelensky, Rubio discuss air defense for Ukraine, possibility of leader-level peace talks

Editor's Note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 14, Presidential Office Spokesperson Serhii Nykyforov told the media.

The discussion focused on the situation on the battlefield, Russian attacks, and the damage caused to Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Part of the discussion included ways to support Ukraine with additional air defense missiles during the winter, according to the Presidential Office.

Rubio and Zelensky also discussed the next round of trilateral peace talks among the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia, set to take place in Geneva on Feb. 17–18.

"It's important that the planned negotiations in Geneva be productive, and I thank the United States for its constructive approach," Zelensky said after the meeting. "We also touched on the sequence of steps. It's important to make progress on issues of security guarantees and economic recovery."

The peace negotiations will eventually require a top-level meeting with the leaders of Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia, the Presidential Office said in a statement published after the talks.

"Ukraine believes that a meeting at the leadership level should ultimately be held to resolve the most problematic issues," the statement said.

Zelensky met with Rubio following his conference speech earlier in the day. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov joined him in the talks.

Following the meeting, Zelensky also held a phone call with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump's envoys representing Washington in the ongoing negotiations. They discussed the upcoming talks, the recent rounds of negotiations in Abu Dhabi, and the meeting with Rubio.

"Not everything can be disclosed over the phone, and our negotiating team will present Ukraine's position next week," Zelensky said after the call on Feb. 14. He thanked the U.S. team for their "constructive attitude."

Both Zelensky and Rubio addressed the conference in separate speeches on Feb. 14. Zelensky stressed Ukraine's commitment to the ongoing peace negotiations among Kyiv, Moscow, and Washington, but said territorial concessions to Russia would not lead to peace.

Rubio also acknowledged that the question of control over Ukraine's eastern Donbas region has not been resolved in the current negotiations.

In a briefing after his speech, Zelensky told journalists that the U.S. had offered Ukraine a 15-year security guarantee, but that Kyiv was looking for a longer-term pledge.

"Today we have a proposal from the American side for 15 years," he said at a briefing. We want to have 20 years plus. Thirty, 50 ... We'll see what the administration and Congress will do."

The day before Zelensky's meeting with Rubio, Trump said that Zelensky needs to "get moving" to secure a peace deal with Russia.

"Russia wants to make a deal and Zelensky is going to have to get moving, otherwise he's going to miss a great opportunity," Trump claimed. "He has to move."

When asked about Trump's comments, Zelensky acknowledged on Feb. 14 that the U.S. president may be "preparing (the) atmosphere" ahead of the upcoming peace talks in Switzerland.

"Not losing our dignity, we can move," Zelensky said.

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