Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to allow the United States and its European allies to offer Ukraine security protections resembling NATO’s Article 5 collective defence clause, according to US envoy Steve Witkoff.
This comes after the US President Donald Trump met Putin on Friday.
Russia – Ukraine news
Speaking Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union, Witkoff said the agreement came during Friday’s summit between President Donald Trump and Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska.
‘We were able to win the following concession: That the United States could offer Article 5-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in NATO.
‘It was the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to that,’ Witkoff said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the announcement at a news conference in Brussels, where she appeared alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
‘We welcome President Trump’s willingness to contribute to Article 5-like security guarantees for Ukraine.
‘The ‘’Coalition of the Willing’’—including the European Union—is ready to do its share,’ she said.
Witkoff described the security guarantees discussed at the summit as ‘game-changing’ and noted that Russia also committed to making a legislative pledge not to pursue additional Ukrainian territory.
However, he acknowledged that some of the most sensitive issues, including territorial negotiations, remain unresolved.
