Leaders in the EU and the UK welcome Donald Trump's efforts to stop Russia's offensive war in Ukraine, but say at the same time that they want security guarantees for a future peace agreement.
"We are clear that Ukraine must have rock-hard security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We welcome President Trump's statement that the US is prepared to provide security guarantees," they write in a joint statement on Saturday.
Collective security guarantee
During a call that Trump held with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyj and European leaders after the meeting with Vladimir Putin, a proposal for a security guarantee came up.
As one of the security guarantees for Ukraine, the American side proposed a non-NATO Article 5 guarantee, probably agreed upon with Putin, says an anonymous diplomatic source.
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who participated in the call, confirms that Trump has raised the idea of a security guarantee inspired by Article 5, something that Meloni has advocated for several months.
The starting point for the proposal is a collective security paragraph "that would allow Ukraine to benefit from the support of all its allies, including the US, (which would be) ready to act if it were to be attacked again," says Meloni in a statement.
She said in March to Italian senators that such a response would not necessarily mean going to war.
Oppose Russian veto power
The EU leaders and the UK also said in their statement that they oppose Russia having veto power when it comes to Ukrainian membership in the EU and NATO and that they are ready to extend sanctions against Russia.
"The next step must be further talks in which President Zelenskyj also participates," the EU leaders write.
On Sunday, the "coalition of the willing" – with about 30 Western countries that have committed to deeper support for Ukraine – will hold a video conference to discuss the way forward towards peace in Ukraine, announces the French presidential office Élysée Palace.
