The United States has floated the idea of extending NATO-style security guarantees to Ukraine as U.S. and European negotiators reported progress on Monday in efforts to end Russia’s war, though agreement on territorial concessions remains out of reach.
U.S. envoys sent by President Donald Trump made the unprecedented proposal during talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Berlin, according to U.S. officials, while cautioning that the offer would not remain open indefinitely. The discussions in the German capital have raised cautious optimism among European leaders about a pathway to ending the continent’s deadliest conflict since World War Two. Russia, however, has yet to signal acceptance of any of the ideas under discussion.
Speaking at the White House after dialing into a dinner involving key officials in Berlin, Trump said efforts were under way to finalise an agreement. He added that multiple conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin had brought the sides closer than ever before.
European leaders welcomed what they described as a shift in Washington’s stance on security offered to Kyiv. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that, for the first time since the war began, a ceasefire now seemed conceivable. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the talks felt more unified than before, noting that U.S. negotiators had clearly signalled Washington’s willingness to provide military-backed security guarantees if Ukraine were attacked again.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the guarantees now appeared clearer and more credible, calling this a key step toward lasting peace, while cautioning that major obstacles remained, particularly over territory and Russia’s true intentions.
Territorial concessions
Zelenskiy said he would urge Washington to impose further sanctions on Russia and supply additional weapons, including long-range systems, if Moscow rejected the proposals under discussion. He reiterated Ukraine’s support for a ceasefire, especially halting strikes on energy infrastructure during the Christmas period.
A source familiar with the talks said the U.S. was pressing Ukraine to pull its forces out of the eastern Donetsk region — a potential concession that could trigger strong domestic backlash. Zelenskiy again stressed that Ukraine would not recognise the Donbas as Russian, either legally or in practice.
U.S. officials said consensus had been reached on roughly 90% of the issues, adding that several options were being explored to bridge remaining gaps, particularly over territory. Russia currently controls nearly a fifth of Ukraine’s territory following its full-scale invasion in February 2022, and Kyiv has consistently rejected ceding land.
A European source said Moscow had yet to soften its territorial demands, adding that while the tone of the talks was positive, positions remained far apart on core issues.
NATO-style guarantees
Zelenskiy has been meeting in Berlin with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and European leaders amid strong pressure from Washington to compromise.
According to U.S. officials, the framework under discussion would grant Ukraine security assurances similar to NATO’s Article 5, which commits members to collective defence. One official said Russia appeared open to Ukraine joining the European Union, and that Trump aimed to prevent further Russian expansion westward.
Security guarantees — including mechanisms for oversight and deconfliction — were the main focus of Monday’s talks, with one official saying Trump believed Moscow could be persuaded to accept an Article 5-style commitment. Zelenskiy said the draft document on guarantees was detailed, though still required refinement.
Working groups are expected to meet in the United States over the weekend, possibly in Miami, with U.S. officials saying they were prepared to engage directly with Russia if needed.
A joint statement from European leaders including Germany, France and Britain said there was strong alignment with the United States and outlined shared goals, such as continued support for Ukraine’s military, a European-led peacekeeping force, guarantees to use force if Ukraine were attacked again, and backing for Kyiv’s EU accession.
Ukraine has indicated it would be willing to abandon its NATO ambitions in return for robust Western security guarantees. It remains unclear, however, whether the Berlin talks will be enough to persuade Russia to accept a ceasefire.
In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia’s demand that Ukraine not join NATO remained a fundamental issue in any peace settlement, adding that the Kremlin expected further updates from Washington following the Berlin negotiations.
Click here for more on World
