In a significant move towards peace, US President Donald Trump has assured Ukraine that the United States will provide security guarantees as part of any agreement to end the ongoing war with Russia.
The promise came during a high-profile meeting at the White House on Monday, where Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy along with several European leaders.
Trump told reporters that while European countries would act as the first line of defense, the US would offer substantial assistance to Ukraine’s security. He did not specify the exact nature of the support, but the commitment marks a notable shift in Washington’s approach to the conflict.
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President Zelenskyy welcomed the announcement, calling it a major step forward. He also revealed that formal security guarantees would be finalized and put on paper within the next week or ten days. Additionally, Ukraine has proposed purchasing nearly $90 billion worth of US weapons as part of the new arrangements.
Alongside this, Trump shared plans to arrange a direct meeting between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, with hopes of holding a three-way summit in the near future. Discussions are underway for the summit to take place in Hungary within the next two weeks, though nothing has been officially confirmed by Moscow.
Despite this progress, there remain significant challenges to achieving peace. Russia’s Foreign Ministry has firmly rejected the idea of NATO troops being deployed in Ukraine to guarantee security.
European leaders who attended the talks stressed that a ceasefire should come before any peace negotiations. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron voiced strong support for this position, while Trump expressed that talks could continue even as fighting goes on. He said he would like the fighting to stop but acknowledged that a pause might not be strategically possible for either side.
The meeting between Trump, Zelenskyy, and the European officials marked a warmer and more cooperative tone compared to earlier meetings this year.
Zelenskyy, who was criticized publicly by Trump in February, expressed his gratitude multiple times during Monday’s event. The European leaders’ presence underlined the broad international support for Ukraine and highlighted the urgency of ending the conflict.
