The day after the Alaska summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, accompanied by several European leaders, went to Washington to discuss with Trump the summit’s outcomes and implications. The topic of security guarantees for Ukraine emerged repeatedly in statements, given Russia’s declared rejection of Ukraine joining NATO. The discussions focus on cumulative bilateral agreements that would transform Ukraine into an armed and trained force under an undeclared deterrence umbrella, alongside debates about binding neutrality and controls on military deployment. The success of this formula depends on a balance that allows Russia to claim its “red lines” are respected without undermining Kyiv’s ability for self-defense.