The administration of US President Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum to Ukraine, demanding territorial concessions in exchange for security guarantees similar to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which concerns NATO's principle of collective defense.
As Politico reported, citing its sources, Kiev must agree to these terms now, otherwise the next offer from the American side will not be as favorable.
As noted in the article, the United States is offering Ukraine security guarantees similar to those it would receive within the framework of NATO. Politico emphasizes that this offer is the strongest and clearest security commitment that the Trump administration has made to Ukraine. However, it comes with a veiled ultimatum: accept it now, or the next offer will be less generous.
The authors of the article point out that in this way Washington is trying to force Volodymyr Zelensky to make a deal as soon as possible. “The basis of this agreement is really strong guarantees like Article 5“, Politico quotes a senior American official. “These guarantees will not remain on the negotiating table forever. They are available now, if a favorable solution is reached“, he added.
According to sources in the newspaper, the United States expects Russia to agree to these terms, as well as to Ukraine's accession to the EU. One source noted that a proposal is currently being considered for Russia and Ukraine to share control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The essence of this proposal is that both countries will receive 50% of the electricity produced there. Following Zelensky's response, the US is expected to discuss the details of a future deal with Russia, writes Politico.
Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, signed in Washington in 1949, enshrines the principle of NATO's collective defense. It obliges all members of the alliance to respond to any attack on a NATO country.