Trump signals openness to Ukraine security guarantees ahead of Alaska summit with Putin

Ukraine’s allies say U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated a willingness to support security guarantees for Kyiv in a Germany-hosted virtual meeting on Wednesday, a potentially significant, though still vague, commitment one day before a high-stakes U.S.-Russia summit on ending the war.

According to European leaders who took part in the call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump made the remarks during what they described as a last-ditch effort to prevent any agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin that could leave Ukraine vulnerable to future attack. Trump did not publicly mention the offer afterwards.

French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking after the call, said Trump had made it clear that NATO should not be part of the guarantees, a position seen as important to Moscow, but that the United States and “all willing allies” should be. “For me, this was an important clarification today,” Macron told reporters.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who chaired the virtual meeting, also said there would be “robust security guarantees,” adding: “President Trump confirmed this today and said he is on board.”

A European official who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity said Trump had been more explicit than before in signalling readiness to provide some form of guarantees since the so-called Coalition of the Willing talks, led by Britain and France, began in March. The official described it as “a big step forward,” though acknowledged there were no details yet on what such guarantees would involve.

Another source familiar with the matter told Reuters that Trump “understood a U.S. backstop was needed” for any guarantees to be workable, but said specifics would still need to be worked out. A European Commission spokesperson also welcomed Trump’s remarks but said questions about the details should be directed to the White House.

Diplomatic push in London

On Thursday, Zelenskyy met British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street to build on momentum from the previous day’s talks. The two leaders embraced before starting their meeting, according to witnesses.

On Wednesday, during the virtual meeting, Trump warned of “severe consequences” if Putin does not agree to peace in Ukraine. He did not elaborate on what those consequences might be, but in the past has threatened economic sanctions if diplomatic efforts fail.

Russia’s position and preparations

The Kremlin, which has repeatedly rejected Ukraine’s and Europe’s demands, has said its stance remains unchanged from the one outlined by Putin in June 2024. Russian state news agency TASS reported that Putin met senior officials and regional representatives on Thursday to prepare for the Alaska summit.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the meeting’s focus, while a Kremlin aide told Russian media that Putin and Trump will discuss both the “huge untapped potential” for U.S.-Russia economic ties and the prospects for ending the war. The aide said Russian Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev, head of the RDIF sovereign wealth fund, will take part. Dmitriev has previously met Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss possible business cooperation.

War developments

Zelenskyy said earlier this week that Russian forces had advanced 9–10 km (around 6 miles) near the town of Dobropillia in Donetsk region. He acknowledged Ukraine had been forced to deploy reserves to stabilise the front line.

Trump has said his talks with Putin in Alaska are intended to “set the table” for a quick follow-up meeting involving Zelenskyy. He has suggested a peace deal could involve a land swap, an idea that worries Kyiv and European leaders who fear it would cement Moscow’s control over roughly 20% of Ukraine and encourage further Russian expansion.

Putin has demanded that Ukraine withdraw from four regions Russia claims as its own, formally renounce NATO membership, and accept those conditions as the basis for a ceasefire. Kyiv has rejected the proposal as a surrender.

Trump’s agreement to hold the Alaska summit last week marked a reversal after weeks of frustration with Putin’s reluctance to engage with a U.S.-led peace initiative.

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