Zelenskiy wants higher-level talks on security guarantees next week

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged allies on Friday to swiftly elevate talks on security guarantees for Ukraine to the level of leaders, as European Union defence ministers pledged to train Kyiv's troops on Ukrainian soil in the event of a truce with Russia, Reuters reported.

The Ukrainian president said he expected to continue talks with European leaders next week on "NATO-like" commitments to protect Ukraine, adding that U.S. President Donald Trump should also be involved.

"We need the architecture to be clear to everyone," he said, adding that he wanted to tell Trump "how we see it,” according to Reuters.

Zelenskiy spoke shortly before his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, met U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in New York to discuss the need to increase pressure on Moscow.

A senior U.S. official said the Ukrainians invited Witkoff to visit Ukraine. The official said the meeting gave Witkoff the opportunity to stress that Ukraine and Russia should meet to reach an end to the war.