U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that American troops would not be deployed on the ground in Ukraine, but suggested the U.S. could provide air support as part of efforts to end Russia’s war.
Speaking a day after pledging new security guarantees for Kyiv during an extraordinary White House summit, Trump told newsmen that the U.S. role would likely be limited to air-based assistance. “When it comes to security, (Europeans) are willing to put people on the ground. We’re willing to help them with things, especially, probably … by air,” he said, without elaborating.
Later, in an interview with radio host Mark Levin, Trump described his negotiating style as probably instinct more than process.
The comments came as Russia unleashed its largest air assault in more than a month, launching 270 drones and 10 missiles across Ukraine. Ukrainian officials said the strikes set off large fires at energy facilities in the Poltava region, home to the country’s only oil refinery.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that U.S. air support was “an option and a possibility,” but stressed that American soldiers would not fight on Ukrainian soil.
“The president has definitively stated U.S. boots will not be on the ground in Ukraine,” she said. “But we can certainly help in coordination and provide other means of security guarantees to our European allies.”
The Kremlin, for its part, reiterated its opposition to any deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine, while leaving the door open to broader security discussions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hailed Monday’s Washington summit as “a major step forward” and floated the possibility of a trilateral meeting with Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Possible venues reportedly include Budapest, Istanbul, or neutral Switzerland, though no firm plans have been confirmed.
Trump himself suggested he may not attend such talks directly. “Now I think it would be better if they met without me. … If necessary, I’ll go,” he told Levin.
Analysts warn that despite talk of peace initiatives, the path forward remains unclear. More than a million people have been killed or wounded since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, making it Europe’s deadliest conflict in decades.
“Both sides are trying not to appear as the obstacle to Trump’s peace process,” said Neil Melvin of the Royal United Services Institute. “But so far, the statements are so vague it’s very hard to take them as concrete steps.”
NATO leaders are expected to discuss Ukraine further on Wednesday, with U.S. General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, joining virtually.
REUTERS/S.S