The United States is proposing robust, NATO-style security guarantees for Ukraine as part of ongoing peace talks, but no agreement has been reached on the “painful” issue of territorial concessions demanded by Russia.
During two days of talks in Berlin, European leaders proposed a multinational force under US backing to ensure Russia does not violate any future agreement to end the war triggered by Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said discussions with envoys of US President Donald Trump were “not easy” but had produced “progress” on security guarantees.
Two senior US officials described the proposed protections as “Article 5-like,” signalling a strong commitment to Ukraine’s defence despite Kyiv not being a NATO member. Article 5 of NATO’s founding treaty treats an attack on one member as an attack on all.
Trump told reporters at the White House that he had spoken with Zelensky and leaders from Germany, Italy, NATO, Finland, France, Britain, Poland, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands following the Berlin talks, expressing optimism that a deal could be close.
“We’re trying to get it done, and I think we’re closer now than we’ve ever been,” Trump said, adding that discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin were ongoing.
However, US officials cautioned that the security guarantees would not remain on the table indefinitely as Washington pushes for an end to the war. They said there was broad agreement on about 90 per cent of the issues between Ukraine and Russia, but acknowledged that questions of territory and sovereignty remain unresolved.
Ukraine has consistently rejected ceding territory, a position supported by public opinion polls showing few Ukrainians are willing to accept concessions. Russia, meanwhile, has shown little flexibility on its demands.
One US official said Moscow appeared open to Ukraine joining the European Union, while Trump was keen to prevent further Russian westward expansion. The proposed guarantees would include intensive monitoring and deconfliction mechanisms to stop small incidents from escalating.
The Berlin talks were led for the US by Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Working groups are expected to meet in the United States this weekend to narrow remaining differences, including territorial issues outlined in a draft document prepared by negotiators.
Discussions also covered a post-war “prosperity package” for Ukraine’s reconstruction, involving the World Bank, European partners and a team led by BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, according to US officials.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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