U.S. negotiators said Monday they have offered Ukraine a NATO-style security guarantee, though they did not specify exactly how far the protection would extend if Russia attacks again. American officials in Berlin for the talks described the proposal as a package of security measures intended to support a future peace deal with Russia. They compared the draft to NATO’s Article 5 mutual-defense pledge but stopped short of committing U.S. ground troops, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The negotiations, which began Sunday and involve Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alongside U.S. representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, have reportedly resolved about 90% of the outstanding issues.
Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine still needs U.S. assistance in negotiations over territorial disputes, particularly the eastern Donetsk region. The Trump administration has indicated that any peace agreement would require Ukraine to withdraw forces from that area, according to Reuters. “Frankly speaking, we still have different positions,” Zelensky said, adding that he hopes the talks with the U.S. continue.
The proposed plan would outline how the U.S. and European countries would respond if Russia violates a settlement, including weapons deliveries, intelligence sharing, logistical support, air-power options, and other military, economic, and diplomatic measures, the Journal reported. European negotiators have agreed to the proposals, according to the New York Times.
A joint document also includes plans to rebuild Ukraine’s armed forces—potentially up to 800,000 troops—and secure the nation’s airspace. “What the USA has put on the table here in Berlin … is truly remarkable,” said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Zelensky called the NATO-style provision encouraging and noted that problematic elements from earlier drafts had been removed.
Russia is not participating in the Berlin talks, but President Trump said Monday that he has been in contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “At this moment, Russia wants to get in and the problem is they’ll want to get it ended, and then all of a sudden they won’t, and Ukraine will want to get it ended, and all of a sudden they won’t,” Trump said. “So we have to get them on the same page.”