Trump Claims Big Progress With Russia as Ukraine Hopes for Article 5-Like Protection

Donald Trump recently made a brief but attention-grabbing post on Truth Social, where he wrote: “BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA. STAY TUNED! President DJT!” The message, composed of just ten words, was posted from within the White House and followed by six hours of silence before further developments were clarified by U.S. officials [1].

Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy for Ukraine, later addressed the matter during an appearance on CNN. He revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had reportedly agreed to allow both the U.S. and European allies to offer “Article 5-like protection” to Ukraine, a significant shift in Moscow’s position. Under NATO’s Article 5, an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. This new arrangement would provide similar security assurances without requiring Ukraine to join the alliance [2].

Witkoff emphasized that this was the first time Russia had expressed openness to such a deal, calling it a major concession. The implications are that the U.S. and Europe could now offer robust defense guarantees to Kyiv, reinforcing Ukraine’s sovereignty without formal NATO membership [3].

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen responded positively, indicating the EU is ready to support such measures. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also expressed optimism on X, describing it as a “historic decision” and urging that the security guarantees be concrete and comprehensive [4].

The developments follow a high-stakes meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska earlier this year, after which Trump shifted his focus from a narrow ceasefire to a broader peace agreement. This shift has sparked mixed reactions, particularly from within his own party. Former Vice President Mike Pence appeared on CNN’s State of the Union and urged Trump to adopt a tougher stance, calling for the imposition of “secondary sanctions” on Russia. Pence argued that Trump’s usual “velvet glove” diplomacy was insufficient, and that Putin “only understands strength” [5].

Pence highlighted the historical pattern of Russian aggression—ranging from the 2008 invasion of Georgia to the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the 2022 invasion of Ukraine—and warned that without immediate economic pressure, Putin could prolong the war until the fighting season ends. He insisted that sanctions must be ready to be signed by the president before peace negotiations begin [6].

Despite the lack of detailed follow-up from Trump, the narrative of “big progress” has dominated recent discussions on U.S.-Russia-Ukraine relations. While Trump continues to promote a diplomatic breakthrough, many remain skeptical about the feasibility of the proposals and the absence of concrete evidence supporting them. The statements, however, have contributed to a broader public debate about how the U.S. should balance diplomacy with deterrence in its approach to Russia [7].

As the situation continues to evolve, the U.S. administration faces increasing pressure to balance peace efforts with the need to hold Russia accountable for its actions. Trump’s messaging, whether it reflects real diplomatic movement or not, continues to play a significant role in shaping the national and international conversation on the Ukraine crisis [8].

Sources:

[1] The [https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/global-trends/ukraine-must-give-up-land-to-russia-truth-social-post-amplified-by-donald-trump-says/articleshow/123349855.cms]

[2] Yahoo [https://nz.news.yahoo.com/trump-writes-post-moscow-thats-154726105.html]

[3] BBC [https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cev28rvzlv1t]

[4] DW [https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-us-envoy-hopeful-ahead-of-trump-zelenskyy-talks/live-73671456]

[5] Reddit [https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/1msxgyh/trump_79-posts-random-name-in-sunday-morning-old/]

[6] Yahoo.com [https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-says-big-progress-made-151130500.html]