White House Envoy: Russia Offered Article 5-Like Pact

Industry Insights from Next Move Strategy Consulting

Key Points

• U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said Russia signaled it would allow the United States and European nations to provide “Article 5-like protection” to Ukraine.

• Witkoff described Putin’s concession as the first time Russian officials had agreed to that condition.

• European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the security guarantees; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the step “historic.”

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged caution, saying a final peace deal remains “a long ways off.”

• The announcements come as President Trump is due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders.

U.S. envoy describes a new security concession from Moscow

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to permit the United States and European partners to extend security protections to Ukraine that resemble NATO’s Article 5 mutual-defense commitment. Speaking on CNN, Witkoff called the concession “the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to that.”

NATO’s Article 5 holds that an armed attack on one member is to be considered an attack on all members, and that each ally will take actions it deems necessary to assist the victim. Witkoff said Russia’s acceptance of an “Article 5-like” arrangement was a notable shift in Moscow’s public positions.

International reactions and Kyiv’s response

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she welcomed the reported guarantees and that the European Union “is ready to do its share,” according to the Associated Press. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the development as “a historic decision that the United States is ready to take part in security guarantees for Ukraine,” posting that security guarantees must be “very practical, delivering protection on land, in the air, and at sea,” and developed with European involvement.

Administration sounds a note of caution

Despite the announcement, senior U.S. officials stressed that significant gaps remain. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that while progress was made in identifying possible areas of agreement, the United States was still far from a final peace accord. Rubio said stronger sanctions could halt talks and that additional consequences would follow if diplomatic efforts failed — but he cautioned against measures that would end negotiations.

Witkoff added that during the long meeting in Alaska between President Trump and President Putin the leaders “covered almost all the other issues necessary for a peace deal,” though he did not supply further details, and he said there were signs of moderation in how both sides were approaching a possible settlement.

What remains unresolved

Observers point to several outstanding and sensitive issues that any settlement must address. The Kremlin has emphasized that a resolution should tackle what it calls the “root causes” of the conflict, including Ukrainian demilitarization and the renunciation of NATO membership ambitions. Moscow has also insisted on international recognition of its annexation of Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine.

Following the summit, Trump suggested — according to senior European officials reported by the New York Times — that a peace deal might be possible if President Zelenskyy agreed to cede the Donbas region. Zelenskyy, however, has repeatedly rejected any recognition of territorial losses, saying that acknowledging annexed land as Russian would violate Ukraine’s Constitution. He also asserted that border changes by force are unacceptable and insisted that key issues be resolved with Ukraine’s direct participation in a trilateral format with the U.S. and Russia.

Political timing and next steps

Witkoff’s remarks arrive just before scheduled meetings between President Trump, President Zelenskyy and European leaders. While the reported concession marks a potentially significant development, U.S. officials and Kyiv remain cautious about declaring a breakthrough. The path to a comprehensive peace — including detailed, practical guarantees for Ukraine’s security on land, air and sea — still faces complex diplomatic and territorial hurdles.

Source: CNBC

Prepared By: Next Move Strategy Consulting