After the summit in Alaska: Security guarantees in front of the summit in Washington in the focus

After the Alaska summit with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump wants to talk to Ukraine and the European partners about ways to end the Russian war of aggression on Monday. Among other things, it is about “security guarantees, territorial questions and the continued support of Ukraine in the defense against Russian aggression,” said the federal government.

The focus is on the scenario of a NATO-like promise of support from the United States and European countries to Ukraine. According to the US specialist Steve Witkoff, Russia has agreed that the United States and the European States of Ukraine grant security guarantees that are similar to Article 5 of the NATO contract. This regulates that the allies can count in the event of an attack on the support of the Allies and that an attack on a member is evaluated as an attack on everyone.

The Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj is accompanied by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte to Washington. Other heads of state and government from Europe have also announced.

Article 5 of the NATO contract as a model

Selenskyj voted the European allies in front of the summit in Washington. In Brussels, he said security guarantees based on the NATO model were essential for the end of the war. The guarantee must work like Article 5 of NATO.

From the Leyen underlined this goal and emphasized that the USA was also ready. “We welcome President (Donald) Trump’s willingness to contribute 5-like security guarantees for Ukraine,” said the German politician. The “coalition of the willing”, including the EU, is ready to contribute its part.

In the event of an attack, the contracting parties of the western defense alliance NATO are obliged to support each other. Article 5 of the NATO contract states that “an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America will be regarded as an attack against them all”. The NATO council states the alliance case, it has so far been explained: after the terrorist attacks in the USA of September 11, 2001.

The attack on Russia on Ukraine was not such an alliance, since the country is not a member of NATO. Selenskyj said on Sunday that an EU membership of Ukraine was also a guarantee of the country’s security.

USA report on the alleged concession of Russia

According to the US specialist Steve Witkoff, Russia has agreed to show the United States and European allies of Ukraine NATO-like security guarantees. “We were able to win the following concession: that the United States can offer an article 5-like protection, which is one of the actual reasons why NATO wants to join NATO Ukraine,” Witkoff told CNN.

A NATO accession of Ukraine is not discussed for Kremlin chief Putin. “We were able to avoid this, so to speak and achieve an agreement that the United States could offer protection similar to that in Article 5.” The Russians would have approved such a scenario for the first time.

However, possible security guarantees for Ukraine were already talked about in the negotiations between Kiev and Moscow 2022 in Istanbul. According to everything that is known, Russia himself wanted to be one of the guarantee. For the event of a conflict, it also called for a veto law against the intervention of other guarantees. This was not acceptable for Ukraine or potential western guarantee. It is considered a reason why the negotiations were given up.

Waffe arrest or not?

The United States hope for a quick agreement between Ukraine and Russia – however, the positions of the warring parties are still incompatible. For example, Russia demands that Ukraine do without a variety of areas, which Selenskyj categorically rejects.

After meeting Putin, Trump had moved away from his central demand for an armistice as a condition for peace negotiations. Instead, he wants to talk directly about a peace agreement – in the sense of Putin. As a result, Chancellor Merz had indicated that he also considers peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia without prior ceasefire – provided that an agreement quickly occurs. “If this succeeds, it is more value than a ceasefire that may last for weeks – without further progress in the political, diplomatic efforts.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized on Sunday that an armistice was not off the table. However, the overarching goal is to conclude a “comprehensive peace agreement”, he told the US broadcaster NBC News. “I think that’s the best way to end the war.”

New fiasco in the White House should be avoided

The meeting in Washington is likely to depend significantly, as the efforts of peace in Ukraine continue. There is a lot at stake – especially after the Alaska summit, in which Trump Putin was dehabilitated on the world stage.

In February, an encounter between Selenskyj and Trump in the Oval Office escalated in front of running cameras, the Ukrainian had to withdraw unpaid things. As a result, the United States temporarily exposed its military aids that are extremely important for Ukraine. A repetition of such scenes is to be avoided with united forces.

Dreier summit possibly on Friday

There is a possibility that a three -person meeting with Putin could also follow Selenskyj’s visit to Trump. Chancellor Merz also spoke of this possibility, but according to him there is no place and time. According to an unconfirmed “Axios” report, the US President made his European interlocutors know that he would strive for such a meeting on Friday.