President Donald Trump has told European leaders that the United States is prepared to extend security guarantees to Ukraine as part of a potential peace settlement with Russia, several diplomats briefed on the discussions said. According to accounts first reported by the Wall Street Journal and confirmed by AFP, the U.S. proposal would mirror NATO’s mutual-defence commitment but fall outside formal Alliance membership—an option Trump has repeatedly ruled out for Kyiv. The offer was relayed during telephone consultations on 16 August with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and key European heads of government, a day after Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Alaska. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who took part in the call, said Washington outlined an Article 5-style pledge that would oblige the United States and selected European states to respond jointly to any future attack on Ukraine. Moscow has long opposed Ukraine’s accession to NATO, yet Putin told Russian media that his talks with Trump were “sincere and substantive” and that both sides discussed ending the war on a “fair basis”. While no cease-fire emerged, Putin signalled readiness to consider Western troop deployments to monitor any agreement, according to European officials briefed on the conversation. Diplomats cautioned that critical details—including the legal form of the guarantees, the scope of participating countries, and Ukraine’s territorial status—remain unresolved, and it is unclear whether Putin will ultimately accept the arrangement. Zelensky is expected in Washington on 18 August for further talks, while France and the United Kingdom have indicated willingness to contribute forces to uphold a potential deal. Until concrete terms are reached, fighting on the ground in Ukraine continues.