U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday pledged that the United States would help guarantee Ukraine’s security in any eventual peace settlement with Russia, though the scope of assistance remains uncertain.
Trump made the promise during a high-profile summit at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and a group of European leaders, following his recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
“When it comes to security, there’s going to be a lot of help,” Trump told reporters, stressing that European allies would also play a major role. Zelenskiy welcomed the pledge as “a major step forward,” saying the guarantees could be formalised “within the next week to 10 days” and adding that Kyiv was prepared to purchase $90 billion in U.S. weapons.
The gathering marked a shift in tone from a tense Oval Office encounter in February, when Trump and Vice President JD Vance publicly criticised Zelenskiy. On Monday, the U.S. leader greeted him warmly, even offering praise for the Ukrainian leader’s more formal attire.
Push for Peace Talks
Despite the warmer atmosphere, a peace deal appeared elusive. Russia’s Foreign Ministry ruled out the involvement of NATO troops in any settlement, complicating Trump’s assurances. Both Trump and Zelenskiy, however, voiced hope that the Washington summit could pave the way for three-way talks with Putin.
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Trump said he had already spoken to the Russian leader about arranging a meeting between Putin and Zelenskiy, possibly in Hungary, with a trilateral summit to follow. European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron, pressed Trump to insist on a ceasefire before further negotiations, but Trump signalled he preferred to pursue talks while fighting continued.
“I wish they could stop, I’d like them to stop,” he said, “but strategically that could be a disadvantage for one side or the other.”
European Backing
Zelenskiy had strong support at Monday’s meeting, with leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, NATO and the EU joining the talks to reinforce Kyiv’s call for binding security guarantees. Macron stressed that any arrangement must protect the security of the entire European continent, while NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte indicated that “Article 5–type” commitments could be considered in lieu of NATO membership.
Trump has pressed for a swift end to the war, raising concerns in Kyiv and among allies that he may ultimately favour concessions to Moscow. His advisers have suggested Ukraine should drop its NATO ambitions and give up claims to Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014.
Zelenskiy has rejected Putin’s reported proposals from the Alaska summit, which included ceding the remaining parts of Donetsk still under Ukrainian control. Any territorial concessions, Kyiv insists, would require a national referendum.
The conflict, now in its fourth year, has claimed or injured more than a million people on both sides, including thousands of civilians, and devastated vast areas of Ukraine. Analysts say despite diplomatic manoeuvring, prospects for a breakthrough remain slim, with both Kyiv and Moscow holding firm to core demands.
