Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to allow the United States and its European allies to offer Ukraine security guarantees similar to NATO's Article 5 as part of potential peace deal efforts, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said Sunday. "We were able to win the following concession: that the United States could offer Article 5-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in NATO," Witkoff said in an interview on CNN's "State of the Union." He called the shift "game-changing," noting it was the first time Moscow had accepted such a framework. Article 5, the cornerstone of NATO's collective defense, holds that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all 32 alliance members. The offer of similar guarantees by Washington and its allies could serve as a workaround to Putin's long-standing opposition to Ukraine joining NATO. Witkoff, who joined Secretary of State Marco Rubio during Friday's summit with Putin at a U.S. military base in Alaska, shared few details on how the proposed security architecture would be implemented. Still, the move was welcomed in Brussels. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said: "We welcome President Trump's willingness to contribute to Article 5-like security guarantees for Ukraine and the 'Coalition of the Willing' — including the European Union — is ready to do its share." Zelenskyy expressed cautious optimism, noting that while the willingness was encouraging, the framework remained vague. "It is important that America agrees to work with Europe to provide security guarantees for Ukraine," he said. "But there are no details on how it will work, and what America's role will be, Europe's role will be, and what the EU can do." Witkoff also said Russia had agreed to pass legislation ensuring it would not violate the sovereignty of other European states, another significant gesture, though the details of enforcement remain unclear. He defended Trump's decision not to insist on an immediate ceasefire, saying the pivot toward a broader peace framework reflected the summit's unexpected progress. "We covered almost all the other issues necessary for a peace deal," Witkoff said. Rubio, who appeared on several Sunday morning shows, emphasized that Ukraine was not present at the summit and therefore no final decisions could be made. "There's not going to be a truce unless Ukraine is in the room," Rubio said on ABC's "This Week." He warned that imposing new sanctions now would reduce diplomatic leverage. "The minute you issue new sanctions, our ability to get them to the table will be severely diminished," he said on NBC's "Meet the Press." Rubio and Witkoff both noted that while the summit yielded signs of moderation from Moscow, critical issues—such as territorial control—remain unresolved. "The fundamental issue, which is some sort of land swap... could not have been discussed at this meeting," Witkoff said. "We intend to discuss it on Monday." Trump is set to host Zelenskyy and several European leaders at the White House on Monday to continue negotiations. "Maybe not enough for a peace deal, but we are on the path for the first time," Witkoff added. — Agencies
