Ukraine may have to concede significant portions of its eastern regions and abandon its aspirations to join NATO, as outlined in peace terms negotiated by Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
The nation’s ambition to become part of the European Union is also uncertain after the two global leaders engaged in contentious discussions in Alaska on Friday.
The proposal from the White House suggests that Ukraine would be prevented from joining the Western defense alliance, though its redefined borders would receive backing from its US and European partners.
Allies have offered “ironclad” security assurances to protect Ukraine from future Russian aggression if a peace deal can be forged.
But it would stop short of Nato Article 5 status, which sees members of the alliance leap to the aid of any member that is attacked.
Ukraine’s desire to join Nato has been blamed as a root cause of President Putin’s invasion.
He has insisted “Nyet” — Russian for “No” — over the proposal.
But the future security of Ukraine is the number one condition of its president, Volodymyr Zelensky.
There’s a possibility that British and other European forces could be deployed to maintain peace, with President Trump acknowledging that the US would have a crucial role in safeguarding Ukraine’s future.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared: “The positive aspect is America’s willingness to be involved in these security assurances and not relying solely on European efforts.”
And PM Sir Keir Starmer said Trump’s “leadership in pursuit of an end to the killing” should be commended.
Calls for an immediate ceasefire were dropped by world leaders yesterday, after Trump announced he was instead pursuing a more lasting “peace deal”.
The agreements formulated during Friday’s meeting are being distributed by the US, following a more than three-hour discussion in Anchorage, Alaska, between the US President and the Russian leader.
The Sun has been told a surrender deal would see Ukraine forced to reject Nato membership and other “multinational deals”.
Negotiations would also begin about ceding control of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine which are, in part, occupied by Russian troops.
There was confusion last night over whether the talks would focus on territory currently held by the Kremlin invaders, or whether the wider regions were on the table.
Yesterday, EU leaders insisted: “Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine’s pathway to EU and Nato.”
However, that does not rule out Zelensky deciding to withdraw Ukraine’s stated aim to join both alliances as part of the wider deal.
He will fly to Washington DC on Monday to meet with President Trump at the White House — six months after their disastrous Oval Office bust up, which saw the leader of the free world savage Zelensky live on TV.
Russia has long claimed Donetsk and Luhansk are more loyal to Moscow than Kyiv, while Zelensky has publicly ruled out giving up the land.
However, he is under massive pressure to concede and end the bloody three-and-a-half year conflict, which has seen more than a million deaths.
European leaders were locked in talks with the White House this weekend, as the world scrambled to catch up with what Trump had offered Putin to end the war.
Last night, UK government sources said the PM was playing a key role in selling the terms of the deal to wider Western allies in a series of calls following the talks between the Americans and Russians.
I welcome the openness of the United States, alongside Europe, to provide robust security guarantees to Ukraine as part of any deal. This is important progress and will be crucial in deterring Putin from coming back for more
Sir Keir Starmer’s statement
Trump yesterday insisted it is time for Zelensky to choose whether to agree with the terms of the deal — as the pair prepared to meet tomorrow.
The White House has also offered to play host to a trilateral summit between the Russians and Ukrainians if the deal is within reach.
Speaking following Friday’s talks, where he met with his Russian counterpart for the first time in six years, President Trump insisted it was “a great and very successful day in Alaska!”
He wrote on his Truth Social website: “The meeting with President Vladimir Putin went very well, as did a late night phone call with President Zelensky and various European Leaders, including the highly respected Secretary General of Nato.
“It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.
“President Zelensky will be coming to D.C., the Oval Office, on Monday afternoon. If all works out, we will then schedule a meeting with President Putin.
“Potentially, millions of people’s lives will be saved. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Last night, Putin also welcomed progress made at the talks, after leaving the summit without taking questions from hundreds of assembled journalists.
In a televised address released by the Kremlin, he said: “The conversation was very frank, substantive, and, in my opinion, brings us closer to the necessary decisions.”
He added: “We have not had direct negotiations of this kind at this level for a long time. We had the opportunity to calmly and in detail reiterate our position.”
We are clear that Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. No limitations should be placed on Ukraine’s armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine‘s pathway to EU and NATO
European statement
In a long statement, Zelensky welcomed the offer of security guarantees outlined by Trump, in a tentative sign he may be willing to sign up to the terms.
He wrote: “A real peace must be achieved, one that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions. Killings must stop as soon as possible, the fire must cease both on the battlefield and in the sky, as well as against our port infrastructure.
“All Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians must be released, and the children abducted by Russia must be returned.
“Thousands of our people remain in captivity — they all must be brought home. Pressure on Russia must be maintained while the aggression and occupation continue.”
He went on: “In my conversation with President Trump, I said that sanctions should be strengthened if there is no trilateral meeting or if Russia tries to evade an honest end to the war. Sanctions are an effective tool.
“Security must be guaranteed reliably and in the long term, with involvement of Europe and the US.
“All issues important to Ukraine must be discussed with Ukraine’s participation, and no issue, particularly territorial ones, can be decided without Ukraine. I thank our partners who are helping.”
Yesterday, the PM was taking part in a round of behind the scenes diplomacy, speaking to the White House and European capitals.
He heaped praise on Trump, saying his “efforts have brought us closer than ever before to ending Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine”.
He went on: “His leadership in pursuit of an end to the killing should be commended.”
But the PM warned: “While progress has been made, the next step must be further talks involving President Zelensky.
“The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without him. I spoke to President Zelensky, President Trump and other European partners, and we all stand ready to support this next phase. I welcome the openness of the United States, alongside Europe, to provide robust security guarantees to Ukraine as part of any deal.
“In the meantime, until he stops his barbaric assault, we will keep tightening the screws on his war machine with even more sanctions, which have already had a punishing impact on the Russian economy and its people.
“Our unwavering support for Ukraine will continue for as long as it takes.”
In a joint statement, Sir Keir and European leaders, including France’s Emmanuel Macron and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, said: “We are clear Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“No limitations should be placed on Ukraine’s armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine’s pathway to EU and Nato.”
Priti: Trump was right to set up meeting
By Sophia Sleigh
DONALD Trump was right to bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table on Friday, says Dame Priti Patel.
The Shadow Foreign Secretary gave her support to the US President’s efforts — while adding that Britain must keep up “tightening the screws” on the Russian tyrant’s regime.
The Tory grandee told The Sun on Sunday: “It is right President Trump has brought Putin to the negotiating table.
“And we support his efforts in ending Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
“Now is the time for the Euro-Atlantic partnership to be stronger than ever in supporting Ukraine, and forcing Putin to end his barbaric war.
“The British government must lead the charge, as we have done, in keeping pressure on Putin through sanctions — and demonstrate we can lead efforts to support Ukraine, and tighten the screws on Russia.”
But others had concerns that no ceasefire had been reached yesterday — even with Mr Trump having warned Putin of “severe consequences” if fighting did not stop.
Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: “Trump has to tell him to agree to a ceasefire or he will up the ante on sanctions, secondary sanctions and weapons to Ukraine. Putin has to fear what Trump can do — more than his own generals and politicians who would come after him.”
He added that Trump “must understand who Putin is, a KGB man who has one purpose in life — to recreate the Soviet Union”.
Former PM Boris Johnson also said that Trump was right to make a move as Putin was weaker than he seemed owing to the war’s damage to Russia’s economy.
Most Labour MPs remained quiet on the talks. Crossbench peer and intelligence expert Lord Peter Ricketts said they were a “clear win” for Putin.
