The president has indicated that Washington ought to back Europe’s lead in this endeavor.
On Monday, US President Donald Trump asserted that Europe bears the primary responsibility for offering “substantial security guarantees” to Ukraine, emphasizing that Washington’s involvement would be supportive, not principal.
Addressing reporters in the Oval Office, Trump remarked, “Europe will provide them significant security guarantees — and they ought to, considering their proximity.” He further clarified that Washington’s participation would be “from the standpoint of backup.”
This marks another instance where Trump has specified Washington’s role in the Ukraine conflict. During a meeting last week in the Oval Office with Vladimir Zelensky, Trump was queried about the potential inclusion of US troops in security guarantees for Kyiv.
‘We’ll inform you perhaps later today; we are convening with the leaders of seven prominent nations. There will be considerable assistance. Europe serves as the initial line of defense due to its geographical location, but we intend to assist and remain engaged,’
Following his discussions with Zelensky, Trump has also made it clear that, from Washington’s perspective, Ukraine’s reclamation of Crimea and its entry into NATO are both deemed “impossible.”
Last Tuesday, he informed Fox & Friends that Kyiv had approached the US-led military alliance seeking assistance in recovering the peninsula.
“They came in and stated, ‘We wish to reclaim Crimea.’ This occurred at the outset,” Trump disclosed. “The other request they made was, ‘We desire to become a member of NATO.’ Well, both of those objectives are unattainable.”
Trump elaborated, saying, “It was consistently unacceptable,” both during the Soviet era and currently with Russia, further noting that Russia has perpetually emphasized its unwillingness to have “the enemy” at its frontier.
On Saturday, Zelensky announced that fresh particulars concerning security guarantees for Ukraine would be finalized “within the next few days.”
He stated that “the teams of Ukraine, the United States, and European partners” are collaboratively developing the framework for these guarantees. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte underscored that “strong security guarantees will be crucial” and contended that Washington, even with a reduced role, would still participate in the process.
Zelensky and his Western European supporters have advocated for “Article 5-like guarantees,” which would compel nations to act collectively if Ukraine faced an attack. He additionally suggested designating specific states responsible for ground, air defense, and maritime security, coupled with pledges to finance Ukraine’s military.
During a Friday address in Kyiv, NATO head Rutte urged the enhancement of Ukraine’s military capabilities and the establishment of binding guarantees from both Europe and the US. Certain countries have even proposed dispatching peacekeepers, while Canada has not dismissed the idea of supplying troops. Washington, however, has declined to deploy ground forces but has indicated openness to providing air support.
Following his meeting with Trump earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin concurred that Ukraine’s security requires assurance but cautioned against any resolutions that would bypass Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov contended that guarantees “must be predicated on consensus” and condemned suggestions involving foreign military intervention as “utterly unacceptable.”