A US-European peace plan aimed at deterring future Russian attacks on Ukraine envisions building a more powerful Ukrainian military, deploying European troops within the country, and expanding the use of American intelligence.
According to officials familiar with draft documents detailing the proposal, as reported by The New York Times, American and European diplomats largely endorsed two security guarantee frameworks during two days of meetings with Ukrainian leaders in Berlin. Hvylya reports that these documents are intended to serve as the cornerstone of a broader agreement to secure a ceasefire and end the conflict, which has lasted nearly four years.
The proposal is also designed to persuade Ukraine to cede territory in a peace deal and forgo formal NATO membership.
"We see real and concrete progress," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated on Tuesday. "This progress has been made possible by the alignment between Ukraine, Europe, and the United States."
Russia Remains Adamant
However, a broad ceasefire remains elusive, partly because Russia is not a party to these talks. Any agreement to end hostilities would require significant concessions from either Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky or Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. While Zelensky has reservations regarding the American proposals—particularly concerning territorial concessions—Putin has shown no flexibility in his demands.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated on Tuesday that his government remains firm in demanding Ukraine cede parts of the Donbas that Russia has not yet conquered, adding that Moscow would not accept the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine.
U.S. officials said on Monday that territorial issues remain a hurdle but expressed confidence that, despite Putin's public comments, he would eventually accept the presence of European forces in Ukraine, provided they do not operate under the NATO flag.
Europeans Satisfied with Trump Cooperation for First Time in Months
For the first time in months, European officials reported constructive collaboration with U.S. negotiators and President Trump.
However, some European leaders hinted at lingering fears that the diplomatic efforts with the Americans could prove irrelevant if the fundamental disagreements between Russia and Ukraine remain unresolved.
"It sounded very encouraging compared to previous statements that the Americans are ready to provide guarantees, but it would be an exaggeration to say we know all the specific details," said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Two Documents: Principles and Specifics
U.S. and European officials said the security documents were hammered out during more than eight hours of intensive discussions with Zelensky and other Ukrainian aides in Berlin on Sunday and Monday. The talks involved top leaders and national security officials from approximately a dozen European nations, including France, Germany, Italy, and Britain.
One of the two documents outlines broad principles. According to two U.S. officials and several European diplomats, these effectively constitute a commitment similar to NATO's Article 5, under which all member states pledge to come to the aid of any nation under attack.
The second part of the agreement, which U.S. officials described as a "military-to-military operational document," provides more granular detail. It explains how American and European forces will coordinate with the Ukrainian military to ensure Russia does not attempt to seize Ukrainian territory again in the coming years.
Neither document has been made public. Those familiar with them claim the operational document contains numerous specific directives designed to reassure Ukraine across various scenarios of a potential Russian invasion. One U.S. official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, said the document is "very specific" regarding how to deter further incursions and punish Russia should they occur.
800,000 Troops for Ukraine
The primary priority is a plan to build the Ukrainian army to a "peacetime level" of 800,000 personnel, equipped with modern training and hardware to serve as a potent deterrent against Russia. During the war, Ukraine expanded its military to nearly 900,000. For comparison, Germany's army consists of approximately 180,000 active-duty troops.
Building and maintaining such a force would require "constant and significant support" for Ukraine, according to a joint statement from leaders of 10 European nations and top European Union officials. One European diplomat, without elaborating, noted that the document contains "very specific" details regarding the military equipment Ukraine requires.
European Troops in Ukraine
The document also details the European military forces that would assist Ukraine, operating within the country to protect its airspace and maritime zones. While officials declined to specify which nations would deploy troops, Zelensky stated on Tuesday that several countries have made private pledges to do so. These troops are expected to be based in western Ukraine, far from the ceasefire line, serving as an additional layer of deterrence against future Russian aggression.
"Every country already understands its role or the volume of supplies," Zelensky said during a press conference with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof in The Hague. "Some are ready to provide only intelligence, while others are prepared to provide troops in Ukraine—a real presence on the ground. This is in the document."
French and British diplomats are leading the proposal to deploy European forces as part of a group of roughly 30 countries they call the "Coalition of the Willing." A European diplomat described the commitments in the security document as a "menu" from which respective governments can choose their level of support.
U.S. Role: Intelligence Over Boots on the Ground
Trump has repeatedly ruled out sending American troops to Ukraine. Instead, the operational document details how the United States will leverage its vast intelligence systems to monitor the ceasefire and detect Russian activities aimed at re-entering the rest of Ukraine, officials said. The Americans will also help verify Russian compliance and ensure that minor skirmishes do not escalate into a new war.
The plan also outlines how the U.S. will help identify Russian "false flag" operations intended to give Moscow a pretext for resuming hostilities—a tactic officials say Russia has frequently employed for years.
A statement from European leaders on Monday noted that the United States would lead a "ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism with international participation to ensure early warning of any future attack." It remained unclear whether or how U.S. forces would intervene to protect European troops in Ukraine if they came under fire.
Lessons of the Budapest Memorandum
One of Zelensky’s chief concerns has been the fear that future security guarantees might fail, much like the 1994 agreement known as the Budapest Memorandum. In that instance, Ukraine, Russia, the U.S., and Britain provided "security assurances" in exchange for Ukraine surrendering the nuclear arsenal it inherited after the Soviet collapse. Russia violated the agreement in 2014 and again in 2022, yet the signatories took almost no military action to defend Kyiv.
U.S. and European officials stated that the new security guarantee would be legally binding according to each country’s procedures. U.S. officials said Trump has agreed to submit the security guarantees to the Senate, where treaties are typically ratified, though they did not specify whether they would officially present them as a formal treaty.
Zelensky stated early Tuesday that the documents would be finalized in the coming days. He expects U.S. officials to then present them to Russia and meet with Ukrainian negotiators afterward, potentially as early as this weekend.
