Ukraine Begins Work on Military Security Guarantees with NATO Support

Andriy Yermak, the head of the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, revealed that Ukraine has officially begun work on the "military component" of the security guarantees system, as part of efforts for a comprehensive settlement of the ongoing conflict with Russia.

Yermak explained in a post published in English on the "X" platform (formerly Twitter) yesterday evening that teams of experts, led by the Ukrainian military, have started intensive work to lay the practical foundations for future security guarantees that enhance Ukraine's ability to defend itself and deter any new threats.

Yermak noted that his country is currently coordinating with its allies to develop a clear plan regarding the next steps, especially if Russia continues to prolong the war and disrupt the proposed agreements, whether in bilateral or trilateral formats for leaders' meetings.

Meanwhile, a senior official told Reuters that a small group of Western military leaders is holding closed meetings in the U.S. capital, Washington, to discuss options for providing effective security guarantees to Ukraine, following a broader online meeting that included senior defense leaders from NATO countries.

The official added that U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Dan Keen is participating in these sensitive talks, along with about six senior NATO defense leaders, noting that these meetings are still in their early stages, and no final results have been reached yet, as the issue was not discussed in sufficient detail during the broader conference.

The official confirmed that more upcoming meetings will be held later in an expanded format, aiming to discuss the proposed options comprehensively before presenting them to the political leaders, who will make the final decision.

So far, no fixed timeline has been set for these discussions.

For his part, NATO Military Committee Chairman Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone stated that alliance leaders had a "frank and constructive discussion" during a video conference regarding the latest developments related to the war in Ukraine.

Dragone wrote on the "X" platform that the alliance remains committed to its full support for Ukraine, emphasizing that "the priority remains achieving a just, lasting, and reliable peace," indicating that any solutions must ensure the long-term security and stability of Ukraine.

These international moves come at a very sensitive time, as Ukraine seeks to strengthen its defenses and build long-term strategic partnerships, while Russia continues its military operations and obstructs diplomatic efforts to end the war.