Zelenskyy Demands ‘Boots on the Ground’ Monitors, Stalling Formal 2025 Ceasefire Deal

KYIV/WASHINGTON – As the clock runs down on 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Tuesday that Kyiv is actively discussing the deployment of allied “boots on the ground” to monitor a potential truce. The demand highlights the critical enforcement mechanism stalling the finalization of a U.S.-backed peace framework before the year’s end.

Zelenskyy’s comments come just 48 hours after a pivotal meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. While Trump characterized the parties as being “closer than ever” to a resolution based on a “20-point peace plan,” Zelenskyy’s insistence on physical security guarantees indicates that a formal written agreement—the specific trigger required to resolve prediction markets and bind the conflict—is contingent on settling the composition of an international monitoring force.

"It's up to us and allies to decide on troop deployment," Zelenskyy said, clarifying that Kyiv seeks partners specifically to police compliance with frozen conflict lines, distinguishing this request from combat deployments.

For market observers tracking the probability of a 2025 deal, this development is decisive. While diplomatic rhetoric has softened, the rigorous criteria for a finalized accord—defined by a signed instrument, a presidential decree, or a formal U.S.-Ukraine joint statement—have not been met. The debate over who will physically secure the ceasefire lines appears to be the primary friction point preventing the immediate issuance of such documents.

According to sources familiar with the negotiations, the “boots on the ground” discussion centers on a peacekeeping role. With President Trump firmly ruling out the deployment of American troops to enforce the truce, the logistical burden has shifted to European allies. Reports indicate that U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are exploring a “coalition of the willing” to fill this gap.

However, coordinating a multinational European force to secure ceasefire lines is a complex political hurdle unlikely to be cleared in the final hours of December. Zelenskyy has maintained that without third-party monitors on the ground to prevent Russian rearmament, Ukraine cannot commit to the framework.

As of Tuesday, December 30, no official governmental decree or signed framework has been released by the Office of the President of Ukraine or the White House. While verbal progress is evident, the formalization of the deal now rests on whether Washington and its European allies can provide the concrete security assurances Zelenskyy demands. With the window for a 2025 agreement nearly closed, the timeline for a formalized pact appears poised to slip into early 2026.