Donald Trump has claimed that Britain, France and Germany are prepared to deploy soldiers to Ukraine as part of efforts to secure peace, while insisting that no American troops will join them.
The US president made the remarks in a phone interview with Fox News, where he struck an optimistic but cautious tone on the conflict.
“I hope Vladimir Putin is going to be good,” he said. “If he’s not, it’s going to be a rough situation.”
Mr Trump said he believed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mr Putin were “doing okay” following recent contacts, including US-brokered talks.
He added that Washington had been working closely with European capitals on possible next steps.
Asked about security guarantees for Kyiv, Mr Trump suggested that European allies would take the lead. “They want to have boots on the ground,” he said, pointing to the UK, France and Germany. “I don’t think it’s going to be a problem.”
Pressed on whether the United States could also deploy soldiers, the president was unequivocal. “You have my assurance, and I’m president,” he told the network. “I’m just trying to stop people from being killed.”
Mr Trump suggested instead that Washington’s role could involve providing air power, describing that as one way the US could bolster security without committing ground troops.
The president also repeated his long-held view that Ukraine acts as a “buffer” between Russia and Europe, underscoring his concern about keeping the conflict from escalating into a direct clash between Moscow and NATO.
Reflecting on his most recent discussions, Mr Trump said he had a “very good call” with Mr Putin after meeting Mr Zelenskyy and European leaders. He stressed that the conversation was deliberately kept private from others in attendance.
“I didn’t do it in front of them, I thought it would have been disrespectful to President Putin,” Mr Trump explained. “Putin wouldn’t talk to the people from Europe.”
The remarks come after Mr Zelenskyy confirmed that Russia had proposed direct talks with Ukraine before a broader trilateral meeting involving Washington. That position appeared to align with Mr Trump’s statements following his discussions with Moscow.
European leaders have not yet commented publicly on Mr Trump’s claims that they are prepared to send soldiers into Ukraine, a move that would represent a major shift in Western involvement in the war.
Mr Trump insisted his priority was to stop further bloodshed, but his comments are likely to spark debate across NATO about how far allies should go in backing Kyiv on the ground.
M10News Politics Desk | Contact: politics@m10news.com
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