Zelenskyy Urges Quick Progress On Security Guarantees, Says Possible Putin Summit Site 'challenging'

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine has said it expects accelerated advancement connected nan security guarantees its friends could supply successful a bid woody pinch Russia, but that 1 of nan imaginable acme sites being pursued by nan United States would beryllium "challenging."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged swift advancement Wednesday arsenic subject officials from nan U.S. and Europe meet. Ukraine wanted to "have an knowing of nan information guarantees architecture wrong 7 to 10 days," Zelenskyy told reporters successful Kyiv.

Trump promised European leaders that nan U.S. would thief supply information guarantees successful immoderate colony pinch Russia, a cardinal interest for Kyiv. He has since made clear that this would not see U.S. troops connected nan ground, but mightiness impact aerial support.

Once Kyiv has much clarity connected what protections its friends are consenting to offer, Zelenskyy said, he would past beryllium fresh to meet pinch Russia's Vladimir Putin.

Where those talks mightiness spot has emerged arsenic a imaginable stumbling block.

The White House has pressed up pinch making arrangements contempt immoderate nationalist reticence from nan Kremlin. Hungarian superior Budapest and nan Swiss metropolis of Geneva were among nan sites being discussed, a elder management charismatic told NBC News, arsenic Washington sought to unafraid a location and date.

But Zelenskyy said Wednesday that Budapest would beryllium a “challenging” venue for his first nonstop talks pinch his Russian counterpart since nan Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion.

The gathering should return spot successful a neutral European country, he said.

“I americium not saying that Orbán’s argumentation was against Ukraine, but it was against supporting Ukraine,” Zelenskyy told reporters, referring to nan Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. “Switzerland, Austria — we agree,” he said, adding that Ukraine would besides judge Turkey.

Russia connected Wednesday signaled it was successful nary hurry for Putin and Zelenskyy to beryllium down together.

When it comes to meetings astatine nan "highest level," Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, "they must beryllium prepared pinch nan utmost care."

Daryna Mayer reported from Kyiv, and Mithil Aggarwal reported from Hong Kong.