Trump Commits US to Ukraine Security Guarantees Following White House Meeting
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President Donald Trump pledged American involvement in security guarantees for Ukraine following a White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, marking what experts describe as significant progress in negotiations to end the conflict with Russia.
Dr. Sonia Mycak, commenting on the Washington developments in an interview with ABC News Australia, said "definite real progress was made in terms of security guarantees" during the bilateral talks.
"It appears that President Trump now commits the United States to be involved," Mycak said. "I say it appears because in the past, unfortunately, his position on Ukraine has been very erratic and almost unpredictable. But at this stage, he is saying that the United States will be involved. That is an important thing. It's a good thing."
The commitment represents a potential shift in Trump's previously uncertain stance on American support for Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia, now entering its fourth year.
Security Framework Details Emerge
Following the White House meeting, Zelensky provided Ukrainian journalists with specific details about the proposed security arrangement during a press conference, according to Mycak's account.
The Ukrainian president outlined a two-pronged approach to implementing the security guarantees, Mycak said.
"Firstly, he said that it will take time to sort out the detail of the security arrangement, because there will be many countries involved, and many countries will have different abilities," she said. "So, some will be able to assist with finances, some will assist with military assistance. It'll take time to sort that out."
Zelensky also emphasized that military funding would be integrated into the security framework through strategic partnerships with European and other nations.
"He said that funding and assistance for the Ukrainian military is going to be part of the security guarantee," Mycak said. "And so that means strategic partnerships with European and other countries in the development and the production of weapons, not only the procurement of weapons."
The Ukrainian leader cited potential future American purchases of Ukrainian drones as an example of the military cooperation envisioned under the arrangement.
Historical Security Failures Loom
Ukraine's experience with previous security agreements adds urgency to ensuring the new framework's effectiveness, Mycak noted, referencing the failed Budapest Memorandum of 1994.
"Ukraine has already experienced one failed security arrangement, the Budapest memorandum of 1994, where both the United States, the United Kingdom and Russia agreed to protect Ukraine's sovereignty and respect Ukraine borders in exchange for Ukraine giving up its nuclear arsenal," she said.
That agreement "amounted to nothing in 2014 when the Putin regime first invaded Ukraine and, of course, in 2022 with the full-scale invasion," Mycak added.
"So Ukrainians are very, very cognisant of the fact that that security arrangement has to be very, very tight," she said.
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Ceasefire Disagreements Persist
Despite progress on security guarantees, significant disagreements remain over implementing a ceasefire, with Trump reportedly stating none is needed while European allies push for one.
Mycak argued that a ceasefire remains essential before substantive negotiations can proceed, citing escalating Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians.
"I think a ceasefire is needed before any further progress really takes place, particularly because in the last few months, or all of this year, to be honest, Russia has escalated its attacks on Ukraine," she said.
She provided specific data illustrating the escalation: "If we look just at the month of July, Russia launched more than 6,000 drones across Ukraine. July of last year, over 400 drones."
"A ceasefire would show some genuine commitment to negotiating for peace," Mycak said. "And I think it is very, very disappointing that President Trump has stepped back from what was his position of requiring a ceasefire to save lives."
Territory Control Disputes
Disagreements over territorial control emerged as another significant challenge, with Zelensky reportedly correcting Trump's understanding of current battlefield positions during their meeting.
Mycak said Zelensky "was able to better explain the situation to Trump," noting that while Russia is commonly said to occupy 20 percent of Ukraine, "it's actually closer to about 17 percent."
The Ukrainian president emphasized the strategic importance of unoccupied areas, particularly regarding Putin's demands for the entire Donbas region.
"Under what we call Russia's maximalist demands, Putin is actually demanding to take control of the whole of the Donbas region," Mycak said. "That's two regions, Luhansk and Donetsk, and areas in the Donetsk region which are not occupied by Russia."
Those areas "contain Ukraine's military fortifications," she said. "So if Ukraine gives up those areas, Ukraine will be completely exposed without any defence and, of course, that would make it very, very easy for Russia to further attack and to reach Kyiv this time."
Constitutional Constraints
Zelensky faces constitutional limitations on territorial concessions, Mycak explained, noting three key Ukrainian positions on potential land concessions.
"Ukrainians will not recognise a formal or a legal recognition of any Russian annexation," she said. Additionally, "the Ukrainian constitution does not allow him to actually make that kind of decision alone. He alone cannot make a decision to change the borders of Ukraine. That would need to go to a referendum."
Mycak called it "rather odd" that Trump previously discounted these constitutional constraints, emphasizing they represent factual limitations on Zelensky's negotiating authority.
Putin's Position
Regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin's stance, Mycak said while there has been "some talk of Russia agreeing to there being a security arrangement," Western nations should not base decisions on Russian commitments.
"The Russians have consistently broken all kinds of agreements to do with Ukraine," she said. "Really, the West, the coalition of the willing, as it were, those countries that are supporting Ukraine need to make their own decision, and that needs to be presented to Putin with pressure as an ultimatum."
The developments set the stage for a proposed trilateral meeting involving Putin, though significant obstacles remain regarding territorial disputes and ceasefire implementation.
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