Newsletters
Türkiye has offered to provide maritime security guarantees for Ukraine in the Black Sea as part of broader international efforts to establish a security framework for the war-torn nation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Friday during a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Kyiv.
Zelenskyy said Türkiye made the proposal during the latest meeting of the "coalition of the willing," quoting Turkish officials as saying: "We want to be part of security guarantees for Ukraine regarding the sea. We are professionals, we know how to help in the Black Sea."
The Ukrainian president noted it was too early to specify who would participate in providing security guarantees, emphasizing the need to first develop a framework before understanding "who, what and how they can help."
"Türkiye stated that it wants to be part of Ukraine's security guarantees, taking responsibility for maritime security," Zelenskyy said, according to RBC-Ukraine.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, speaking at the joint press conference in Kyiv, detailed a two-layer approach to Ukraine's future security.
"Ukraine maintains its strong stance and your friends and partners in NATO continue to be with you. Our support is unwavering and continues to grow," Rutte said.
He emphasized that allies continue providing weapons and ammunition aid while supporting Ukraine's defense industry, noting NATO's involvement through its Wiesbaden base in Germany, training center in Poland, Kyiv office, and the NATO-Ukraine Council.
"The first layer, whether it's a peace agreement, a long-term ceasefire or a combination of both, requires the Ukrainian army to be strong enough to defend this proud country and nation in the future," Rutte said.
"The second layer should be security guarantees provided by Europe and the United States, and that's what we're working on," he added.
Rutte emphasized that Ukraine, Europeans and the United States are working together to ensure security guarantees reach a level where "Vladimir Putin, sitting in Moscow, will never attack Ukraine again."
"Strong security guarantees are vital, and that's what we're trying to define right now," Rutte said.
"So when your time comes to participate in a bilateral summit (with Russia), the undisputed strength of Ukraine's friends will be behind you. You will ensure that Russia will abide by any agreement and never again try to seize a square kilometer of Ukraine," he noted.
"Right now, Ukraine, Europeans and the United States are working together to ensure security guarantees are at a level where Vladimir Putin, sitting in Moscow, will never attack Ukraine again," the NATO chief stated.
The announcements come after a crucial meeting on Aug. 18 in Washington where President Donald Trump hosted Zelenskyy and European leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Rutte.
During the meeting, discussions centered on providing Ukraine with security guarantees similar to NATO's Article 5 collective defense provision, but without direct NATO membership.
Trump confirmed U.S. participation in the security guarantee system while emphasizing that European countries should bear the primary burden. He ruled out deploying American troops to Ukrainian territory.
Rutte expressed satisfaction with Trump's decision to prioritize ending the war and include the United States in security guarantees for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy indicated that details of the security guarantees are planned to be finalized within 10 days. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni proposed a format of collective security guarantees for Ukraine that doesn't involve NATO membership.
Rutte noted that discussions are continuing at multiple levels, stating, "It's still too early to say exactly what the outcome will be, but it's clear that the United States will be included."
He added: "NATO is proudly participating in the entire process."
1 min read
1 min read
