Deal first, security guarantees later — US to Kyiv

The United States has presented a condition to Ukraine, under which a peace plan must be concluded before Washington agrees to any long-term security guarantees for Kyiv. This position has become a key element in the American proposals delivered last week.

This is reported in an analytical piece by Politico.

US Secretary of State on guarantees: "Trump will negotiate them, but later"

According to a European diplomat and another informed source, this condition was central in the proposals given to Kyiv. During a phone call with European officials, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Washington’s position.

"US President Donald Trump would later negotiate long-term security guarantees for Ukraine, which would supposedly ensure Kyiv's safety," Rubio stated.

Another European diplomat reported that although Rubio mentioned security guarantees during the negotiations in Geneva, he did not go into detail and did not repeat this proposal during a subsequent conversation with the British and the French.

The head of the State Department also briefly mentioned several other issues that need to be resolved after the agreement is signed. According to Politico, Europeans had in mind questions regarding territories and frozen Russian assets.

EU criticism: "A ‘security architecture’ full of holes"

Despite this, the White House insists that any peace plan will necessarily include security guarantees.

"The Trump administration has repeatedly affirmed, publicly and privately, that any deal must provide full security guarantees and deterrence for Ukraine," said White House deputy spokesperson Anna Kelly.

At the same time, some European countries fear that the Trump administration may tilt the balance toward Russia. A third European diplomat criticized the approach to planning, which ignores international norms:

"Nothing about human rights, humanitarian law, international law nor principles. This is creating a new European ‘security architecture’ full of holes."

Rubio also told his European colleagues that the United States cannot be viewed as a neutral mediator in the negotiations, as Washington simultaneously provides military aid to Ukraine and imposes sanctions on Russia.

Read more:

The US peace plan is based on a Russian document — Reuters

Trump named the biggest concession to Russia in the peace plan

Trump’s peace plan — three points still need agreement