August 18, 2025
By Ayinde Adeleke
Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to allow the United States and its European allies to extend a security guarantee to Ukraine resembling NATO’s collective defence mandate, according to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, Witkoff said the concession was reached during President Donald Trump’s summit with Putin, describing it as a potential breakthrough in efforts to end the 3½-year war in Ukraine.
“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 stated. He added that it was “the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to that,” calling the development “game-changing.”
The envoy emphasized that the arrangement, if formalized, would mark a significant step toward a broader peace agreement and provide Ukraine with the type of security assurances it has long sought from NATO membership.
