US offers 'NATO-like' security to Ukraine

BERLIN — The United States has offered to provide NATO-style security guarantees for Kyiv as US and European negotiators reported progress in talks on Monday to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but a deal on territorial issues remained elusive.

Envoys sent by US President Donald Trump made the unprecedented offer at talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin, US officials said, but warned such a deal would not be on the table "forever".

The officials said talks with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner led to narrowing differences on security guarantees that Ukraine said must be provided, as well as on Russia's demand that Ukraine give up land in the Donbas region.

Trump dialed into a dinner on Monday evening with negotiators and European leaders, and more talks are expected this weekend in Miami or elsewhere in the US, according to the US officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of lack of authorization.

"I think we're closer now than we have been, ever," Trump told reporters at an unrelated White House event.

Meanwhile, European leaders in Berlin said in a statement that they and the US are committed to working together to provide "robust security guarantees", including a European-led "multinational force Ukraine" supported by the US.

They said the force's work would include "operating inside Ukraine" as well as assisting in rebuilding Ukraine's forces, securing its skies and supporting safer seas. Ukrainian forces should remain at a peacetime level of 800,000, they added.

However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday slammed Europe as a "quack doctor" for missing opportunities to help resolve the Ukraine crisis.

In an interview with Iranian media, Lavrov said Europe has repeatedly turned a blind eye to efforts to resolve the crisis, using the situation instead to strengthen its own position and obstruct attempts by the US and other parties to reach a fair settlement.

Likening Europe's approach to that of a "quack doctor", he said,"They only prescribe medicines that make you feel better for five minutes. They will never make a proper diagnosis."

Lavrov reiterated Russia's position that the root causes of the conflict must be addressed, including NATO's eastward expansion, Ukraine's potential NATO membership, territorial disputes and security guarantees.

Article Five

Before Trump's calls, US officials had described the meetings as positive. However, they warned that Ukraine must also accept the deal, which they said would provide security guarantees in line with NATO's Article Five, which holds that an attack on one ally is an attack on all.

"The basis of that agreement is basically to have really, really strong guarantees — Article Five like — also a very, very strong deterrence" in the size of Ukraine's military, one US official said on condition of anonymity.

"Those guarantees will not be on the table forever," he said.

On Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia had not yet seen details of proposals on such NATO-style security guarantees for Ukraine.

Zelensky has emphasized that any Western security assurances would need to be legally binding and supported by the US Congress. Meanwhile, Russia has said it will not accept any troops from NATO countries being based on Ukrainian soil.

The US officials said on Monday that there is consensus on about 90 percent of the US-authored peace plan, and that Russia has indicated it is open to Ukraine joining the European Union, something it previously said it did not object to.

Agencies - Xinhua