President Donald Trump has placed the onus on European nations to lead the charge in providing security guarantees for Ukraine. He made his position clear following a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump’s statement to reporters came after a busy week of diplomacy, which included hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European allies in Washington on August 18. The purpose of those meetings was to address the framework for Ukraine’s long-term security.
“Europe is going to give them significant security guarantees, and they should,” Trump asserted, underscoring his belief that Europe’s proximity to Ukraine makes it the natural primary guarantor. He added that the U.S. would still be involved, but as “backup.”
Separately, Trump also brought to light a prior engagement with Putin. He said that during an August 15 meeting in Alaska, they discussed the future of their countries’ nuclear arsenals, with talks of reductions once peace is achieved in Ukraine.
