Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed skepticism about proposed security guarantees for his country during the Munich Security Conference in Germany. While thanking American and European allies for providing air defense systems that protect infrastructure and save lives, Zelenskyy raised concerns about the future of Ukraine's Donbas region.

Previous U.S.-led peace efforts in Abu Dhabi failed to resolve critical issues, including Russia's insistence that Ukraine cede territory. Zelenskyy questioned how a proposed free trade zone in Donbas would function, suggesting Russian President Vladimir Putin could provoke foreign troops to leave and enable further occupation. European nations including the U.K. and France have committed to deploying troops to guarantee Ukraine's security, while U.S. discussions continue about the nature of American support.

Zelenskyy emphasized that thousands of Ukrainians have died defending Donbas and that 200,000 civilians live there, making territorial concessions unacceptable. He warned that giving Putin any opportunity for victory could lead to further aggression, noting that Russian officials oppose foreign troop presence because Moscow wants to attack Ukraine again. The Ukrainian leader also expressed surprise at Moscow's replacement of its negotiating team before upcoming U.S.-brokered talks, suggesting the move aims to delay progress.