Major Shift in Russia-Ukraine Talks as Putin Agrees to Security Guarantees

At a summit with Donald Trump, Russian leader Vladimir Putin agreed to U.S. and European security guarantees for Ukraine similar to NATO's collective defense. This represents a significant shift in Russia's stance, potentially moving towards a peace agreement in the prolonged conflict.

In a significant diplomatic development, Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to a framework whereby the United States and its European allies could provide Ukraine with a security guarantee akin to NATO's collective defense mandate. This revelation came from a U.S. official following a summit between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Steve Witkoff, a Trump envoy involved in the negotiations held at an Alaskan military base, described this as 'game-changing.' While details remain scant, the agreement marks a potential shift in Russia's stance against Ukraine's NATO aspirations, steering talks towards a long-sought peace deal.

The next steps in crafting these security guarantees were a major point of discussion as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders convened with Trump, emphasizing the importance of establishing a framework to end the prolonged 3 1/2-year conflict.

(With inputs from agencies.)