NEW YORK — United States President Donald Trump said Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, that the US will help defend Ukraine after its war with Russia, but there will be no American troops deployed on the ground.
“You have my assurance,” Trump said in a Fox News interview, a day after hosting a White House summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders.
Trump said Monday, Aug. 18, during meetings at the White House that the US would be “involved” in providing security guarantees for Ukraine after the war with Russia but did not elaborate. He offered more clarity during the morning interview with Fox and Friends.
“When it comes to security, they’re willing to put people on the ground,” Trump said, referring to European countries.
“We’re willing to help them with things, especially probably ... by air, because there’s nobody that has the kind of stuff we have.”
The issue of security guarantees for Ukraine — and potential US involvement — has proved to be a sticking point as Trump works to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia, The Washington Post reported.
European leaders have been encouraged that Trump appears open to a US role in peacekeeping in Ukraine, but that could complicate negotiations with Russia, which has spent years working to counter increased military support for Ukraine by its allies, the report noted.
The White House rarely hosts so many foreign dignitaries at once, as it did Monday when Zelensky and European leaders arrived to discuss the Russia-Ukraine conflict with Trump.
The meetings mainly focused on security guarantees for Ukraine and a possible trilateral meeting between Russia, Ukraine and the US. Disagreements remain on key issues, such as whether a ceasefire is necessary before further negotiations.
The latest talks came three days after the US and Russian presidents met in the US state of Alaska. Progress was reportedly made during that meeting, but no deal was announced. / XINHUA