Zelensky Prepares for Paris Talks as Europe Reels From US Military Action in Venezuela

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that Ukrainian negotiators are working “around the clock” ahead of a planned meeting with European leaders.

The leaders of roughly 30 countries – primarily Ukraine’s European allies – are set to discuss the “final details” of security guarantees for Ukraine in Paris on Tuesday as part of ongoing, US-led peace negotiations.

In a video address published on Telegram, the president said that “there was a lot of international work today” in preparation for the summit.

Zelensky listed Russian strikes on civilian targets and infrastructure across Ukraine throughout the day – a hospital in Kyiv, a sunflower oil producer In lDnipro, and electricity infrastructure in Kharkiv and Kherson.

“Air defense for Ukraine and support for Ukraine are daily tasks, and every day we must deliver results. New decisions will be made in the interests of our state. The Ukrainian negotiating team is working around the clock,” he said, as per Ukrinform.

The first days of 2026 have seen the international order turned on its head by US President Donald Trump’s “capture” of Venezuelan President Nicola Maduro in a late-night raid on his Caracas palace by US forces.

In Europe, tensions are particularly high. Since his re-election, Trump has repeatedly suggested that he is considering the annexation of mineral-rich Greenland, which is an autonomous territory of EU member country Denmark. 

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Zelensky: Europe Needs Anti-Ballistic Shield After 73 Missiles, 656 Drones Strike

President Zelensky on Tuesday called for Europe to develop its own anti-ballistic missile defense system after Russia launched a massive overnight strike involving 656 drones and 73 missiles. He said the attack, which killed at least 17 people and injured over 100, shows that Ukraine and Europe remain vulnerable without stronger air defenses. Zelensky also stressed the need for continued US support in supplying Patriot missiles to counter ballistic threats.

Also on Monday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called for Europe to arm itself.

“No one will take seriously a weak and divided Europe: neither enemy nor ally. It is already clear now,” the Polish leader said.

At the same time, US efforts to end Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine appear to be reaching their climax. Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff will attend the Paris summit, according to a White House official.

Their likelihood of success is less clear. Zelensky said on Friday that security guarantees for Ukraine must include the deployment of foreign troops in order to be credible – a possibility that the Kremlin has repeatedly rejected.