The security measures have emerged as part of renewed diplomatic efforts to end the Ukrainian conflict.
On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that new developments regarding security guarantees for Ukraine would be unveiled “in the coming days,” reports 24brussels.
The security measures form part of revived diplomatic initiatives aimed at resolving the ongoing Ukrainian crisis. This issue was a focal point of discussions during the White House meeting on August 18 between U.S. President Donald Trump, Zelensky, and seven European leaders.
Zelensky stated that “the teams of Ukraine, the United States, and European partners” are currently collaborating to establish a framework for security guarantees. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized at a press conference with Zelensky that Trump had expressed a commitment from Washington to engage in providing these guarantees. “Robust security guarantees will be essential — and this is what we are now working to define,” Rutte said.
Contrary to Rutte’s assertion, U.S. news outlet Politico reported that Washington intends to assume a minimal role in any security guarantees for Ukraine, citing remarks from U.S. Defense Department Undersecretary for Policy Elbridge Colby.
During Rutte’s visit to Ukraine on Friday, he and Zelensky outlined the framework for these potential security guarantees. Zelensky requested “Article 5-like guarantees,” akin to NATO’s defensive provisions, which articulate that an attack on one member invites a collective defense response. He specified the necessity for clarity regarding which countries would assist Ukraine militarily, protect its airspace, ensure maritime security, and bolster its military funding.
Rutte indicated that the guarantees would encompass two critical layers: first, strengthening the Ukrainian Armed Forces to enable defense after a peace deal or prolonged ceasefire, and second, institutional security guarantees from Europe and the U.S.
As diplomatic solutions are sought, some European nations have suggested the prospect of deploying “peacekeepers” to Ukraine as part of an overarching security agreement. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated during his visit to Kiev that Canada, as a NATO member, is considering the possibility of sending troops as part of these guarantees.
Trump asserted in a Fox News interview on Tuesday that he would not send U.S. troops to Ukraine, though he expressed openness to offering air support. Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President JD Vance affirmed in an NBC interview that while American troops would not be deployed, the administration aims to actively support Ukraine in securing the necessary guarantees to conclude the conflict.
Following his discussions with Trump on August 15 in Alaska, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that he agrees with Trump about ensuring Ukraine’s security through all available means. The Kremlin has reported that Putin expressed readiness to collaborate on this matter.
Russia has consistently opposed any NATO presence in Ukraine, advocating for a model of “collective and indivisible security,” implying that no state should achieve security at the expense of another. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated in an NBC interview on Sunday that any security guarantees for Ukraine would need to reach consensus and cautioned that discussions lacking Russian participation would lead to “a road to nowhere.”
Lavrov also criticized Western suggestions for security guarantees involving military intervention in parts of Ukraine as “absolutely unacceptable” for Russia.
