U.S. Agrees To Security Guarantees For Ukraine In Peace Talks

 

 

The United States has agreed in principle to provide security guarantees to Ukraine as part of a potential peace deal to end Russia’s nearly four-year war, U.S. officials said after high-level talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin.

 

Officials said discussions with President Donald Trump’s envoys — Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — narrowed gaps on Ukraine’s demand for binding security guarantees and on Russia’s insistence that Kyiv concede territory in the eastern Donbas region. Further talks are expected this weekend, possibly in Miami, as negotiations intensify.

 

Trump dialed into a dinner with negotiators and European leaders on Monday evening and later told reporters: “I think we’re closer now than we have been, ever,” adding that European leaders were strongly backing efforts to end the war.

 

According to U.S. officials, the proposed guarantees would resemble an “Article 5–like” commitment — a reference to NATO’s collective defence clause — without formally granting Ukraine NATO membership. The administration intends to submit the security guarantees to the U.S. Senate, though it remains unclear whether they would require treaty-level ratification.

 

European leaders meeting in Berlin said the U.S. and Europe had committed to “robust security guarantees,” including a European-led multinational force operating inside Ukraine. The force would help rebuild Ukraine’s military, secure its airspace, and protect maritime routes, while keeping Ukraine’s armed forces at a peacetime strength of around 800,000 troops.

 

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described the proposal as “a truly far-reaching, substantial agreement” not previously on the table.

Territory remains the most contentious issue. Ukraine continues to reject pressure to cede land to Russia, while President Vladimir Putin has demanded Kyiv withdraw from remaining areas of the Donetsk region. Zelenskyy has said Ukraine could drop its NATO bid if it receives binding Western guarantees backed by Congress, though NATO membership remains Kyiv’s preferred option.

 

U.S. officials said roughly 90% of the American-authored peace plan has been agreed, and Russia has signalled openness to Ukraine joining the European Union — though Moscow remains firmly opposed to NATO expansion.

 

Despite diplomatic progress, fighting continues, with both sides reporting large-scale overnight drone attacks.

 

Key Takeaways

• The U.S. has agreed to provide Ukraine with security guarantees as part of peace talks with Russia.

• Guarantees could resemble NATO-style protection but would stop short of Ukraine joining the alliance.

• Territorial disputes remain unresolved as fighting continues alongside negotiations.

 

SOURCE AP

 

Sarcasm alert:

 

I'm sure that that President Putin will now negotiate. After all, his stated objectives (as of 2022) will have been (largely) been met and we all know that he is a man of peace (We know that because he says so).