The European Union is actively debating security guarantees for Ukraine in the context of a potential peace agreement with Russia. U.S. President Donald Trump has assured support, while Germany’s plans remain tentative.
Key Points from the Discussions
A major topic at the White House consultations was providing security guarantees for Ukraine during a possible peace process with Russia. Following the Washington meeting, EU leaders held a virtual summit to explore ways to protect Ukraine in the event of a peace deal.
President of the European Council António Costa emphasized the urgency of advancing efforts and implementing promised protections, drawing parallels to Article 5 of the NATO Treaty. Costa noted that in the coming days, officials from the UK- and France-led “Ready Coalition”, in coordination with the U.S., will finalize the security guarantees for Ukraine.
Trump Signals Air Support Only
After the summit, President Trump affirmed that the U.S. would support Ukraine’s security guarantees, without providing detailed commitments. He stated:
“We will provide them with very good protection, very strong security.”
On Fox News, Trump clarified that U.S. assistance would be air support only, rejecting the deployment of U.S. ground troops to Ukraine. The air support could assist European peacekeepers if a peace agreement is reached.
Germany Shows Conditional Willingness
Germany has expressed principled support for potential security guarantees for Ukraine. However, the exact form of participation will only be decided after a broad framework agreement is reached.
Federal Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius (SPD) stated that Germany is working intensively to ensure credible security guarantees, taking into account:
- The progress of peace negotiations
- Potential contributions from the U.S.
- Coordination with close European partners
