U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed offering Ukraine a collective-defence commitment modelled on NATO’s Article 5 but outside the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, according to remarks by Trump and confirmations from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and diplomatic sources. Trump raised the idea during a 16 August conference call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several European leaders, one day after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Under the plan, Washington and willing European partners would pledge to respond jointly to any renewed Russian attack on Ukraine without granting Kyiv formal NATO membership, a key Russian red line. A diplomatic source cited by AFP said the concept had been "a priori" accepted by Putin, while separate media reports indicated the Kremlin signalled openness to additional guarantors, including China. European officials have urged that any arrangement be “strong, reliable and long-term,” and governments in London and Paris have floated deploying troops to monitor a potential cease-fire. Kyiv, which has pushed for full NATO accession since Russia’s 2022 invasion, is seeking clarity on the scope and enforceability of the proposed guarantees. Zelensky is scheduled to meet Trump in Washington on 18 August to discuss the details, the possible involvement of other guarantor states and how the scheme would fit into broader peace negotiations. The talks come as Western capitals weigh how to deter further Russian aggression without triggering Moscow’s opposition to NATO expansion.