Details of the plan, described by US officials as the “platinum standard”, were unveiled after two days of talks in Berlin.
According to available information, Washington intends to send the agreement to the US Senate for ratification, which would make it legally binding. The model is similar to the bilateral defense agreements the US has with Japan and South Korea, but without the deployment of US troops on the territory of Ukraine. Instead, a US-led mission would be formed in the initial phase, tasked with monitoring the ceasefire and resolving potential disputes before they escalate into armed conflict.
If Russia were to violate the truce and launch a military offensive again, the US response, according to diplomatic sources, would focus on the use of air power. In that scenario, F-35 fighter jets, Tomahawk cruise missiles or similar systems, deployed on NATO territory, could be used to strike Russian military targets. It is emphasized that pre-emptive strikes are considered unlikely, and that a military response would only follow after a clear determination of Russian responsibility for the escalation.
European allies, led by Great Britain and France, offered an additional contribution through the formation of a multinational force whose role would be to train the post-war Ukrainian army, monitor airspace and secure key maritime routes in the Black Sea. In the joint statement of the European leaders, it was stated that these forces would assist in the restoration of Ukrainian armed capacities and strengthening of overall security, including operations within Ukraine itself.
For months, Kiev has insisted on a strong US role in the security guarantees, which now see Ukraine’s military rebuilt into what it describes as a “steel hedgehog” – an armed force capable of deterring any future aggressor. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that Ukraine is the “first line of defense” and that its armed forces must remain strong enough to counter a possible Russian threat, both now and in the future.
Although the proposals were met with approval in Kiev and European capitals, the question remains whether Moscow will accept the agreement, which in its effects resembles Article 5 of NATO. Further talks have been announced for the coming days, while European officials express doubt that Vladimir Putin will agree to such security solutions, which represent a serious obstacle to his strategic plans.
(Vijesti.ba)
