President Donald Trump has promised that American troops will not be deployed in Ukraine, stating that it will be the responsibility of a European nation to handle security issues there.
Details of a coalition involving security forces in Ukraine were discussed as a deterrent if an agreement with Moscow is reached. Trump assured that no US soldiers will be on the ground in Ukraine.
During a Fox News interview, when asked if he could guarantee the safety of US military involvement, Trump stated, “You have my assurance, and I am the president.”
However, he clarified that this doesn’t imply a lack of US involvement. The US military will offer support to European nations that intend to send troops for peacekeeping purposes. “There will be some form of security. It will not be NATO,” he added.
American assistance will primarily consist of air support, although the specifics—whether it includes combat air patrols or intelligence operations—are still unclear. Trump mentioned, “We are willing to put people on the ground, we are willing to care and help them because we don’t have the kind of things we have.”
Trump commented on a recent agreement where “President Putin has accepted Russia’s security guarantees for Ukraine,” following a meeting with European leaders at the White House. He described this as a “very important step” and emphasized the need to clarify responsibilities moving forward, while expressing optimism about reaching an agreement to prevent further attacks on Ukraine.
“I think European countries will bear a lot of burden. We will help them. We are trying to make it very safe,” he said.
In discussions at the Oval Office with Ukrainian President Voldymir Zelensky, Trump noted that if peace is achieved, it must be maintained long-term, addressing concerns about the presence of Ukrainian Western security forces.
Trump stated that future defense for Ukraine will derive largely from European partners and their troops, assuring, “We’ll help them, we’ll get involved.” He further highlighted that European leaders share a desire to assist Ukraine.
Despite some European countries, aside from Britain and France, hesitating to fully commit to troops on the ground without US involvement, there is encouragement towards the idea of peacekeeping forces to address potential Russian aggression.
There seems to be a preferred model advocating for European ground forces, although if conflicts re-escalate and casualties occur, the US has indicated a willingness to intervene. It remains uncertain how negotiations around security forces will unfold, especially with concerns about Ukraine potentially joining NATO, which the US aims to avoid.
The UK, perhaps the most hesitant, has made it clear that it could deploy troops to Ukraine once a peace agreement is finalized. The British Defense Minister affirmed readiness to act immediately in a ceasefire situation, indicating that troops are prepared to defend themselves if necessary.
Despite progress being unclear, Trump’s recent comments on security cooperation seem to have done little to alleviate ongoing debates about defense spending in Europe, particularly in Germany, regarding its commitment to the coalition.
Thomas Lewekamp, chairman of the Bundestag’s Defense Committee, expressed skepticism about the likelihood of German troops serving in Ukraine, though he doesn’t dismiss it as impossible. He suggested that Germany could instead focus on monitoring and training for peacekeeping roles rather than deploying combat forces.
