Witkoff Tells CNN, "Putin Also Agreed"
Rubio Says "Possible to Propose Security Guarantees for Ukraine"
U.S., Ukraine, and European Leaders to Meet at the White House on the 18th
Focus on Security Guarantees for Ukraine and Territorial Exchange I
Officials from the Donald Trump administration have stated that they are willing to provide Ukraine with NATO-style collective defense security guarantees, and that Russia has agreed to this. At the White House on August 18 (local time), President Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and European leaders are scheduled to meet, where this issue and the topic of territorial exchanges will be formally discussed. This meeting is expected to mark a significant turning point in discussions to end the war in Ukraine.
Steve Witkoff, U.S. Special Envoy, said in a CNN interview on August 17 regarding the U.S.-Russia summit held in Alaska on August 15, "The concession we obtained from Russia is that the United States can provide Ukraine with protection similar to Article 5 of the NATO Charter." He added, "This is the real reason Ukraine wants to join NATO," and emphasized, "This is the first time Russia has agreed to this."
Article 5 of the NATO Charter is the collective defense clause, which states that an attack on one member state is considered an attack on the entire alliance, prompting a joint response.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said in a Fox News interview on the same day, "If President Trump proposes a U.S. commitment to security guarantees, it would be a very significant step," adding, "Ultimately, it is the President's decision." He explained, "This will be part of tomorrow's (August 18) discussions."
Ukraine and European countries are demanding strong security guarantees as a condition for ending the war with Russia. The United States has previously drawn a line against Ukraine's NATO membership, but this time, the significance lies in providing security guarantees for Ukraine and even obtaining Russia's consent. However, while Special Envoy Witkoff spoke in a more confident tone, Secretary Rubio left the possibility open and mentioned the need for further discussion, indicating a difference in their stances.
As a specific measure, Special Envoy Witkoff mentioned, "When the peace agreement is legislated, it will include provisions that, within the Russian Federation, legally guarantee that Russia will not invade other territories or violate the sovereignty of other European countries."
Previously, on August 15, President Trump held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, for about three hours to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, but the talks ended without a clear agreement. The expanded meeting, which would have included ministers from both countries' economic departments, was omitted, and the joint press conference ended in just 12 minutes without taking questions from the media. Secretary Rubio stated that President Trump called for a ceasefire, but President Putin refused. Regarding the decision not to impose additional sanctions on Russia, Rubio explained, "New sanctions would not force Russia to accept a ceasefire and could undermine our ability to bring Russia to the negotiating table."
While Trump administration officials claim there was progress at the U.S.-Russia summit, which has been widely described as a "no deal" meeting, attention is focused on whether the White House meeting on August 18 will serve as a major turning point for ending the war. The meeting is expected to focus on the level of U.S. security guarantees and the issue of territorial exchanges between Russia and Ukraine. A large number of leaders, including NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, as well as the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Finland, will attend. This appears to be an effort to prevent President Trump from leaning toward President Putin and to ensure that Ukraine is not forced into unilateral concessions during the negotiations.
President Putin is demanding the transfer of the eastern Donbas region to Russia as a condition for a peace agreement, and President Trump, immediately after the talks, urged President Zelensky to "agree," effectively pressuring Ukraine to accept Russia's demands. As a result, there is speculation that the U.S. and Russian leaders may have reached an agreement in which Ukraine cedes part of its territory to Russia, and in return, Russia provides NATO-style security guarantees to Ukraine. However, the Trump administration believes that direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are inevitable regarding the territorial issue. In the interview, Special Envoy Witkoff emphasized that whether a peace agreement is reached "depends on Ukraine's consent," and stressed that the issue of territorial exchange is a "fundamental matter" that cannot be discussed without President Zelensky's involvement.
President Zelensky welcomed the U.S. proposal to provide security guarantees for Ukraine but maintained a cautious stance. On the same day, through the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), he stated that if the United States, together with Europe, agrees to provide security guarantees for Ukraine, "it would be a significant change." However, he emphasized the need for detailed implementation plans, saying, "We need guarantees that will work in practice, just like Article 5 of the NATO Charter."
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, stated, "The EU is ready to do its part."
On the same day, President Trump posted on his own social media platform, Truth Social, saying, "There was significant progress with Russia" regarding the summit with President Putin, and urged, "Stay tuned!" Depending on the outcome of the White House meeting the following day, it appears that the possibility of a trilateral summit between the United States, Russia, and Ukraine will also be determined.
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