
Amanpour Former US Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker
Dec 16, 2025
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No Evidence Russia Has Conceded
- Kurt Volker says there's no public sign Russia is willing to end the war and Moscow still demands major Ukrainian territory.
- He sees value in aligning the U.S., Ukraine, and Europe on a common peace vision to strengthen deterrence.
Make Guarantees Serious And Permanent
- Volker supports U.S. security guarantees equivalent to NATO to deter further Russian aggression.
- He questions why such guarantees would be temporary if designed to reestablish deterrence in Europe.
Bind Guarantees Through Ratification
- Ratify U.S. security commitments through the Senate to make them binding and credible.
- Treat guarantees as funded, operational commitments not mere statements to ensure deterrence.

