Trump offers air support as part of security guarantees for Ukraine moving toward ending the war and peace process

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday ruled out sending US troops to Ukraine but offered air support as Western countries began to outline security guarantees for Kyiv ahead of a potential summit between Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin.

As part of diplomatic efforts to end the war, Trump hosted Zelensky and European leaders at the White House on Monday, three days after his historic summit with Putin in Alaska.

Trump said Putin, who spoke with him by phone during Monday’s talks, agreed to meet with Zelensky and accept some form of Western guarantee for Ukraine against Russia, promises that Kyiv and European leaders received with extreme caution.

Putin proposed holding a summit with Zelensky in Moscow, as sources familiar with the call with Trump, however one of the sources said that Zelensky immediately rejected the Russian capital option.

Trump, who has been highly critical of the billions of dollars in US support for Ukraine since the Russian invasion in 2022, said European countries would be at the forefront of sending troops to ensure any settlement is implemented, an idea being considered by France and Britain.

“When it comes to security, they are willing to put people on the ground,” he told Fox News, referring to the Europeans.

“We’re ready to help them with certain things, especially, probably, air support, because no one has what we have, really,” he added.

He stressed that Washington wouldn’t deploy any ground forces in Ukraine and categorically ruled out the possibility of Kyiv joining NATO.

Trump supported Putin’s narrative that Kyiv’s NATO membership ambitions were responsible for the outbreak of the war, which has killed tens of thousands.

But European leaders, Ukraine, and Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, considered this a mere pretext used by Russia and pointed to Putin’s statements rejecting Ukraine’s historical legitimacy.

Following talks with Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer convened approximately 30 of Ukraine’s allies, now known as the “coalition of the willing,” for online consultations.

Starmer told the gathering that coalition teams would meet with US officials in the coming days to discuss security guarantees and “prepare for the deployment of a stabilization force if hostilities cease,” according to the 10 Downing Street spokesperson.

He added, “The leaders also discussed how to increase pressure, including through sanctions, on Putin until he demonstrates that he is willing to take serious action to end his illegal invasion”.

In remarks to reporters before leaving Washington, Macron also called for additional sanctions unless Putin showed a desire for peace.

The Chief of the British Defense Staff, Admiral Tony Radakin, will travel to Washington on Tuesday to discuss the reassurances.

The Chiefs of Staff of all 32 NATO member states will also meet via videoconference on Wednesday to discuss Ukraine.

Geneva proposed as a destination for negotiations.

For its part, Russia stressed that any solution must also protect its interests.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Russia 24 that any agreement to end the conflict must guarantee the rights of “Russian-speaking residents of Ukraine,” a matter that was among Russia’s justifications for launching the Russian special military operation in Ukraine, back in February 2022.

There is no doubt that Moscow would be a provocative destination for any summit, as some see it as a surrender by Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron told French news channel LCI that he wants the talks to take place in Geneva, a historic venue for peace negotiations.

For his part, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis confirmed on Tuesday that his country’s government is prepared to grant “immunity” to Putin, who faces an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in connection with violations committed during the war.

Both Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the summit could take place within two weeks.

Trump is also seeking a three-way summit in which he will participate, while Macron has called for a four-way meeting to include Europeans, who play a key role in Ukraine’s security.