Russia agrees to security assurances regarding Ukraine's territorial integrity from the United States
US and Russia Agree on Security Guarantees for Ukraine
In a significant development, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has reported a concession from Russia during a meeting in Alaska. According to Witkoff, Russia has agreed to allow the United States and European allies to provide NATO-like security guarantees to Ukraine, without crossing any European borders.
This agreement is noteworthy as it comes at a time when for Vladimir Putin, the idea of Ukraine joining NATO is not up for discussion. The concession from Russia is related to the security of Ukraine, not its membership in NATO.
Russia has been insisting that any discussions about security guarantees for Ukraine must involve Moscow and that Russia should be one of the guarantor states. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized that Moscow will not agree to collective security guarantees negotiated without Russia, effectively implying a veto power over such arrangements.
The proposed security arrangement for Ukraine will be similar to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which states that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. However, it does not imply that Ukraine will become a formal member of NATO.
Steve Witkoff clarified that the proposed security arrangement will not place NATO on the defensive. He also stated that they were able to secure this concession during the meeting. Russia has also expressed its intention to commit to not occupying any more territory in Ukraine in a peace agreement.
The international community, particularly Ukraine's allies, has been pushing for a different approach, seeking to establish a security mechanism that does not involve Russia's veto power. This includes discussions about an international security force for Ukraine, which Russia has opposed.
Witkoff's comments suggest a potential shift in Russia's stance towards allowing self-determination and protection of Ukraine's sovereign borders. He emphasized on CNN that Russia is now moving towards making concessions in the negotiations. Ukraine and its European allies had already been informed about the proposal.
The details and results of the discussions following the meeting in Alaska were not clear or fully disclosed. However, this agreement marks a significant step towards easing tensions between the US and Russia over Ukraine's security.
"The proposed security arrangement for Ukraine is a noteworthy point amidst war-and-conflicts and politics, as it signals a potential shift in Russia's stance and could lead to general news of easing tensions between the US and Russia over Ukraine's security."
"The discussions about security guarantees for Ukraine involve the participation of Russia, as per their insistence, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's emphasis on Moscow's need to be a guarantor state, a crucial aspect of the ongoing war-and-conflicts and politics."
