Trump backs security deal for Ukraine following high-stakes summit with Vladimir Putin
The precise contours of those security guarantees, which were discussed by Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage on Friday, remain unclear, however. Trump has not committed to sending US troops and previously ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine.
The security may amount to a European-led initiative with America's support, a source familiar with the talks said.
French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer offered to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine earlier this year, which would place on their nations' shoulders the human and financial cost of shielding Kyiv after the US has already spent $200 billion since Moscow's invasion began in 2022.
The US has a mutual defense agreement with the UK and France, meaning that their presence on the frontlines would offer a form of protection to Ukraine resembling NATO membership — Trump has adamantly rejected formal admission of Kyiv to the military alliance — which Putin vehemently opposes.
Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization maintains that if one NATO is attacked, it would be considered an attack on all 32 members of the group.
Ukraine would, as part of the hypothetical peace deal, cede land currently occupied by Russia.
3 President Trump discussed the possibility of giving Ukraine a 'mutual defense' deal.
AP
3 The arrangement came after a series of calls between Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders,
Ukrainian Presidential Press Off/UPI/Shutterstock
Such an agreement would obligate Ukraine's European allies to respond to any future attacks on the country, The Telegraph reported Saturday.
Putin allegedly agreed to the arrangement, according to The Telegraph.
But European leaders were trying to clarify what role the US would play under such an agreement, sources told The Economic Times.
The arrangement came after a series of calls between Trump, Zelensky and European leaders, the Agence France Press reported.
'As one of the security guarantees for Ukraine, the American side proposed a non-NATO Article 5 type guarantee, supposedly agreed with [Russian leader Vladimir] Putin,' a source told the AFP.
3 Putin invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Getty Images
Word of the potential security guarantee came as it emerged that Zelensky will head to Washington, DC, to meet with Trump in the Oval Office on Monday.
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