KYIV, Ukraine: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Western allies to provide clear security guarantees for Ukraine after the war with Russia ends, saying his government needs firm commitments on how future military and financial support will work.

In an interview broadcast late this week, Zelenskyy said Ukraine wanted specific arrangements to protect the country from another Russian attack. His comments followed two days of discussions among Western allies in Brussels on postwar security and reconstruction.

The discussions also took place ahead of planned three-way talks next week in Abu Dhabi involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States. These will be the first trilateral peace discussions since February.

However, the war continued to cause destruction across Ukraine. Russian drones attacked several regions overnight, damaging infrastructure and causing widespread power cuts, including in the Kyiv area.

The death toll also rose following a Russian guided bomb strike early this week against a former school being used as a humanitarian aid distribution center. Bulgarian authorities separately reported finding what they identified as a Russian drone in the Black Sea.

The Brussels meetings focused on Ukraine's reconstruction, its 2027 financial needs, and security guarantees backed by Western allies. Representatives from the United States, Britain, France, Germany and the European Union attended, along with officials from the World Bank and U.S. investment group BlackRock.

Ukraine's chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, said the discussions also covered Russia's threat to Ukraine and the rest of Europe.

He said, "We separately discussed the threats from Russia to Ukraine and all of Europe, as well as joint steps to counter them."

In his television interview, Zelenskyy stressed the need for practical results over general promises.

He also highlighted the importance of maintaining bipartisan support for Ukraine in the United States. However, he suggested that the Democrats' strong performance in this week's midterm elections could lead to greater American assistance.

Ukraine hopes the political changes will speed up the delivery of Patriot missile interceptors, which Kyiv considers essential to protecting its cities and infrastructure from Russian air attacks.

Zelenskyy said: "I believe our chances of getting additional assistance from the United States may now grow."

A Ukrainian official said Democrats' victory in gaining control of Congress could significantly increase American support next year.

Davyd Arakhamia, head of the parliamentary faction of Zelenskyy's party, also expressed optimism during a meeting with reporters in Washington this week. He said the chances of Ukraine receiving stronger American financial and general support were at least twice as high under the new Congress.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump met Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev this week but did not reveal details of their discussion.

Trump said a major agreement was likely and suggested it could involve countries beyond Ukraine, potentially including the whole of Europe.

His son-in-law and envoy, Jared Kushner, said the Brussels talks aimed to develop practical arrangements to address security concerns, reduce the risk of another conflict, and create greater stability.

EU Warns Against Early Expectations

The European Union has cautioned against expecting a quick agreement.

European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho said considerable work remained before any deal could become a reality. The Commission hosted the first day of discussions at its Brussels headquarters on Wednesday.

She said progress would depend largely on Russia's willingness to negotiate, pointing out that Moscow had started the war through its invasion of Ukraine.

Pinho added that there had been little indication of a change in Russia's position and that an agreement was still a long way off.

The Kremlin has not commented on Trump's remarks about the possibility of a major agreement.