US, Russia agreed on Ukraine security guarantees, US envoy Witkoff says

Straits Times

9 hours ago

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US President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin of Russia at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug 15.
WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed at their summit in Alaska last week that the US would be able to offer Ukraine security guarantees, according to Mr Steve Witkoff, Mr Trump's special envoy.
'We got to an agreement that the US and other nations could effectively offer Article 5-like language to Ukraine,' Mr Witkoff said on CNN's State of the Union, referring to the Nato provision that says if one ally is attacked, it is considered an attack on all member states.
But Mr Witkoff said their agreement stopped short of allowing Ukraine to achieve its longstanding goal of Nato membership.
'Putin says the red flag is Nato admission,' Mr Witkoff said.
Russia went into the summit demanding that Ukraine give up territory that Russia seized in its three-year war. Mr Witkoff said Mr Putin 'made some concessions with regards with all five of those regions,' and added, 'There needs to be a discussion of Donetsk' with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Aug 18, suggesting there is room to negotiate.
Mr Trump on Aug 17 insisted that he made 'BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA' in a post on Truth Social.
While Mr Trump had gone into
Aug 15's summit with Mr Putin seeking a ceasefire, he'd emerged saying he was going to focus on a final settlement. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told NBC's Meet the Press on Aug 17 that the US remains committed to crafting a deal that includes both 'what the border lines are going to look like' and Russia accepting that Ukraine 'is a sovereign country'.
Mr Rubio also said the US hasn't ruled out a ceasefire in Ukraine as part of the goal of brokering a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, while arguing that additional sanctions would be unlikely to force Mr Putin to accept a deal.
'The president as a mediator was looking for ways to solve the crisis,' Mr Witkoff said on Fox News on Aug 17.
'He understands that it is for the Ukrainians to decide how they might land swap, how they might make a deal with the Russians on on different territories there, but that's what we're that's why Zelensky and the Europeans are coming to the White House on Monday to make those decisions themselves.'
European leaders will be joining Mr Zelensky at follow-up talks with Mr Trump on Aug 17 in Washington, in a show of support as Ukraine's leader faces growing US pressure to agree to a quick peace deal with Russia that involves giving up territory.
Mr Rubio sought to outline a path forward after the summit in Alaska without indicating what leverage the US intends to use on either side in the war, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Mr Trump told Fox News after the summit that he'd encourage Mr Zelensky to make a deal with Russia.
A full peace agreement is 'the best way to end the war now, whether there needs to be a cease fire on the way there,' Mr Rubio said. 'Well, we've advocated for that. Unfortunately, the Russians as of now, have not agreed to that.'
Mr Rubio said no US sanctions on Russia have been relaxed and the US may eventually end up imposing tougher penalties if talks stall.
'And so those options remain to the president,' he said. 'The minute he takes those steps, all talks stop.'
Engaging with Russia is necessary to end the war, 'as distasteful people may find it,' Mr Rubio said.
Asked whether a ceasefire is off the table, Mr Rubio said: 'No, it's not off the table.' At the same time, he added: 'Let's be frank, this is not our war.' BLOOMBERG