Zelensky announced progress in negotiations on security guarantees
Ukraine, the US, and European partners, during talks in Oslo on October 20, considered several options for security guarantees for Ukraine after the end of the war. Among the proposals are protection mechanisms similar to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which provides for collective defense.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this at a joint press conference with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre following the negotiations in Oslo on October 20.
According to Zelensky, American representatives confirmed their readiness to work on strong security guarantees, which should become one of the foundations of a future peace agreement.
"I am grateful to the Americans for saying that the guarantees will be strong," the President of Ukraine noted.
He specified that during the meeting the parties discussed several possible models of Ukraine's protection, including NATO mechanisms, Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, and guarantees based on a similar principle.
The President emphasized that the relevant proposals have already been documented. US President Donald Trump's special representative Steve Witkoff is to present them to the Russian side during negotiations on October 21.
According to Zelensky, Kyiv expects to receive information about Moscow's reaction after the meeting between American and Russian representatives.
"We will hear about their answer in a day," the Ukrainian leader stated.
At the same time, the specific content of the proposed guarantees has not been disclosed yet. It is not reported what obligations the US and European states are ready to assume, nor whether they will provide for direct military assistance to Ukraine in case of repeated Russian aggression.
Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty establishes the principle of collective defense, according to which an attack on one ally is considered an attack on all NATO members. However, discussing guarantees on a similar principle does not automatically mean extending this article to Ukraine or making a decision on its accession to the Alliance.
What issues were discussed at the Oslo talks
The meeting took place with the participation of Volodymyr Zelensky, Steve Witkoff, Alexander Stubb, and Jonas Gahr Støre. Another representative of the US President, Jared Kushner, joined the discussion via video link.
As reported by the Norwegian government, the talks covered not only a possible cessation of hostilities but also conditions for long-term peace.
In particular, the meeting participants discussed security guarantees for Ukraine, territorial issues, sanctions against Russia, the future architecture of European security, and a plan for Ukraine's economic recovery after the war.
Special attention was paid to the protection of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, strengthening air defense, and the possibility of a partial ceasefire.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that the negotiators managed to achieve progress at the technical level. According to him, options for stopping strikes on energy facilities were discussed, as well as measures in the field of food security.
Zelensky confirmed Kyiv's interest in a diplomatic settlement but stressed the need for reliable guarantees that should prevent a repetition of Russian aggression after the end of the war.
US to present proposals to the Russian side
The next stage of the negotiation process is scheduled for Wednesday, October 21. According to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Steve Witkoff will travel to St. Petersburg, where he is to discuss with the Russian leadership the proposals prepared jointly by Ukraine, the US, and European states.
The head of the Norwegian government did not rule out that the results of these consultations may lead to a meeting at the level of heads of state.
Zelensky also called for a trilateral summit with Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. According to the Ukrainian President, some of the most difficult issues of ending the war can only be resolved directly by the leaders.
At the same time, Zelensky emphasized Kyiv's principled position: any negotiations concerning the future of Ukraine must take place with the participation of the Ukrainian side.
As The Guardian notes, the participants in the Oslo negotiations positively assessed the progress made, but there are no final agreements on ending the war yet.
Thus, the discussion of security guarantees based on the model of NATO Article 5 remains part of the diplomatic proposals. Their final form, legal bindingness, and the readiness of potential guarantors to fulfill the relevant obligations have not yet been determined.
