US Eyes NATO Article 5 Protection for Ukraine Amid Peace Talks

The United States is considering offering Ukraine security guarantees akin to those under NATO’s Article 5, which would require Congressional approval and be legally binding, Axios reported, citing a senior US official.

Negotiations on these guarantees, alongside post-war peace and reconstruction measures, have reportedly made significant progress. Officials emphasized that the aim is to provide Kyiv with a security guarantee that is substantial yet not unconditional. “We want to give the Ukrainians a security guarantee that will not be a blank cheque on the one hand but will be strong enough on the other hand. We are willing to send it to Congress to vote on it,” the source said.

Three separate agreements are planned: one covering peace, another for security guarantees, and a third focused on reconstruction. For the first time, Ukrainian officials have been presented with a detailed post-war vision, including maintaining sovereignty over roughly 80% of its territory, receiving the strongest security guarantee in its history, and obtaining a major economic prosperity package.

Negotiations on the reconstruction and economic package are reportedly progressing well. “When people see what they are going to get and not only what they are going to give, they are more willing to move forward,” the US official noted.

In related developments, Trump’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin. This follows a tense call between Friedrich Merz, Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, and Donald Trump, during which disagreements over the approach to peace efforts were evident. Trump later acknowledged the “pretty strong words” exchanged during the discussion, highlighting differing views on the US-backed strategy.